Pua | Kiele (Gardenia) watercolor painting

Jon Apisa. Pua | Kiele (Gardenia). 2025. watercolor on paper, 7" x 5" (17.78cm x 12.7cm).

Artist Notes:

Kīlauea, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi September 27, 2025

“Pua | Kiele” (Gardenia) was based on a Gardenia flower I observed in person growing on the island of Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi.

I also later used graphite pencils to draw this flower in another work of art.

Because of the pedal count and shape, and the fact that I do not know how to identify specific species of gardenia, I could not positively identify the flower as the popular “Tiare” Gardenia taitensis.

- Jon Apisa

I chose to title the artwork “Pua | Kiele” (Gardenia) with the general name for Gardenia in Gagana Sāmoa (Sāmoan language) and ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiʻian language).

I choose to title artwork in both languages because of my Sāmoan family heritage, also because I was raised in Hawaiʻi and lived in Hawaiʻi when I created the artwork.

“Pua | Kiele” (Gardenia) watercolor painting by Jon Apisa.

This was painted with watercolor on paper, 7" x 5" (17.78cm x 12.7cm).