Midcentury style by Solario in the HoMA Shop

Retail Manager Cori Mackie often gets visitor requests for images of HoMA. But with the building taking up a city block, it is not easy to capture with a camera. So she wanted to highlight the iconic museum in a new way.

Enter illustrator Solario (yes, he goes by one name only), who recently moved to Honolulu from San Francisco and has quickly made a name for himself making prints of O‘ahu landmarks such as Aloha Stadium and Makiki Palms condo with midcentury flair. She reached out to him about turning his talents to HoMA, and he immediately agreed to the project—it turns out he was already a frequent visitor to and supporter of the museum.

“While sketching on site at the Honolulu Museum of Art, I was captivated by the diverse architectural styles showcased in each wing of the museum in addition to the art exhibitions,” says Solario. “Though I’ve been many times, with each visit I always discover something new and exciting, both from the building itself and the vast collection of art.”

For the finished piece, as with most of his work, Solario used a limited but vibrant color palette, drawing inspiration from vintage matchbooks and travel brochures from mid-20th-century Hawai‘i. The result is a time-transporting portrait that you can get on a T-shirt ($29.95, makes a great Father’s Day gift!) and three different tote bags ($25)—we guarantee they’ll become instant favorites.

Posted by Lesa Griffith on June 8 2023