Unknown Paradise

 

                                          Isaac Nahakū‘elua

  I was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai'i, graduated from Hilo High School in 1999 and joined the U.S. Army to be an Airborne Infantryman. After my time with the 82nd Airborne, I was assigned to Schofield Barracks Hawai'i and deployed to eastern Afghanistan for one year. I survived many near-death experiences and came back home to go to college and received a bachelor's degree in Psychology and a Master's degree in social work. I am working on a Ph.D. in social welfare.
  Afghanistan influenced my perspective on life and the realization that the physical manifestation of ideas in this world defines the adage about living in a world of illusion. Together with my academic training in psychology and mental health, I explore perspectives as to how and why people create and interact with ideas in this world and convey my thoughts through my artwork.