Venus Rising Painting

Beginnings Ho' omaka 'ana The life and work of Kaleo, Kal Kong, began in 1950's Hawaii pre-statehood, before tourism as a product. A boy with Chinese and Hawaiian ancestry and an artist's heart, Kaleo grew up in a tropical setting starkly outlined by the mountain rain forests, Diamond Head, the North Shore and the naval base at Pearl Harbor where his father was a laborer. Within these borders, under the blue hues of the Oahu sky, he came to experience his environment as a character in the play of life. By the time he finished high school he began to chronicle this backdrop which lead to a world of graphic design. The graphic design shop he opened in a retail warehouse center became a hub of local artistic buzz. Metal and graphic artists shared space and ideas. His vision for commercial art and design fanned many new enterprises which expanded with the growth of the local economy. Away Ha' alele, ho' i In 1979, portfolio in hand, he leaped with his theater-bound mate to New York to begin a 30 year career in advertising art, design, creative direction and photography. At the time, album covers were still hand crafted works of artistic delight and Kal had just the right vision and touch for over 100 multi-faceted covers for jazz, pop, and rock titles. His gift for air-brush techniques brought metallic sheen to life in these one of a kind works of contemporary art. He transitioned to big account corporate advertising, first as artist and art director, working his way through the Manhattan ad maze to creative and design director. He worked with top level photographers and artists as creative director, and awards soon followed. But corporate life was not a lifetime desire and he longed for creative freedom again. He returned to his own one-man-shop, this time in the Philadelphia area. Return Ho'i hou, ho'iho'i In 2009 a life-threatening heart illness, followed quickly by the death of both parents brought Kal back to Hawaii several times. Grateful for recovery and a new vision of life, he became inspired to return to Hawaii to live. And while this dream floats in his heart and mind, he paints the places that bathed his his artistic spark. Working now in oil on canvas, the light and color of Hawaii are captured with the familiarity of a native son remembering his youth. These creations are part of that vision to return home. These are the creations of an artist's home. One that resides forever in his heart.