Inspiring Community Through Art: Meet Kelsie Dayna

When Kelsie Dayna was let go from her job as a digital marketing specialist at the height of COVID in 2020, she wasn’t sure what to do next. “I went from working remotely at home to thinking, ‘Now what am I going to do with my life?’” Dayna says. Although she had a degree in business marketing, Dayna knew she didn’t want to jump back into another office job so soon. Not that she easily could; like the rest of Hawai‘i, she was still isolated indoors due to physical distancing restrictions as a result of the pandemic.

Instead, with her newfound free time, Dayna began drawing and painting on her iPad. She had always been artistic growing up. Both of her grandmothers were seamstresses—one even owned a dress shop in Kaimukī from the 1960s to the ‘90s—which is where Dayna believes she inherited her creative genes. However, Dayna had experienced difficulty finding the right outlet for her creative energy since high school. She tried photography, painting, sewing, jewelry making, and more, but nothing stuck with her.

Dayna found her voice making digital art. While in lockdown, she created a mix of calming nature scenes, tropical scenery, cute animals at play, and motivational sayings (like “Wahine Power,” with shaka signs as Ws). “I started sharing my art on social media as a way of self-expression and just to kind of cope with all the changes that were happening in my life,” says Dayna. “After getting a positive response online, everything really just grew from there.”

In early 2021, Dayna opened an Etsy shop, selling stickers and greeting cards with her artwork. One day, a former high school classmate who opened a cafe in Kaka‘ako asked Dayna if she would paint a mural on an empty wall in the cafe. “Concepting the mural idea and transferring the design to the wall with a projector was the toughest part and very nerve wracking that first time. However, getting to paint and seeing the image come to life was amazing.”

“What I try to aim for with my art is celebrating Hawai‘i and building community,” says Dayna. “Making murals became a way for me to brighten someone’s day and make them smile.” Now, with nearly a dozen murals under her belt and a thriving small business creating artwork for magazines and corporate clients, Dayna has found success as a full-time artist.

One of her latest murals is located in the halls of Princess Ruth Ke‘elikōlani Middle School in downtown Honolulu, where Dayna’s imagery is welcoming students and faculty alike. Commissioned by Bank of Hawai'i, the mural is a beautiful tribute to a historic school. With a colorful rainbow, lush green mountains and blue skies, this beautiful panorama titled Head in the Clouds also includes a special message for viewers: THINK BIG. DREAM BIG. “The sky’s the limit for students of Ke‘elikōlani Middle [School]. I want children to remember that their dreams can soar and to feel inspired every day when they see this painting,” Dayna says.

It’s a meaningful tribute for a historic school, located on the grounds of Keōua Hale, once the palace of Princess Ruth Keanolani Kanāhoahoa Ke‘elikōlani, the great-granddaughter of King Kamehameha I. Dayna’s artwork will help encourage many generations of present and future students.

This is also not the only change on the campus: Walls and railings have also been primed and freshly painted, sidewalks and exterior stairs have been power washed, the grass has been raked, weeds have been pulled, and trash has been picked up. These combined efforts are the results of Bank of Hawai‘i’s 17th annual Community Service Day, which united more than 250 people in sprucing up the campus of Ke‘elikōlani Middle School last month.

In addition to cleaning up the campus and presenting Ke‘elikōlani Middle School with a donation of $10,000 from Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation and its senior leadership, hundreds of bank volunteers—nicknamed the Bankoh Blue Crew—assisted Dayna in painting the school’s new mural. “We’re a collective of many hearts and hands,” says Momi Akimseu, president of Bank of Hawai‘i Foundation. “For our employees, actively participating in and enriching our communities is what we do.”

Bank of Hawai‘i has a unique relationship with Ke‘elikōlani Middle School. Located just a few blocks away from Bank of Hawai‘i’s headquarters and main branch, bank employees have visited this Title I school every year since 2009 to teach early financial education to students. Many children who attend Ke‘elikōlani Middle School live in government and affordable housing complexes or transitional housing or homeless shelters.

At least twice a year, at Ke‘elikōlani Middle School and 10 other schools across Hawai‘i, Guam, and Saipan, Bank of Hawai‘i employees host SmartMoney Lesson Days, which are interactive educational sessions that promote smart financial habits for students. “We provide tips to guide them to make smart financial considerations at their age and beyond. Spending this time with the students is a priority for our employees,” Akimseu says. Through an age-appropriate curriculum, youth learn the basics about how to handle money and finances, the importance of saving versus spending, and beyond.

Developing self-reliance and smart money habits has a personal significance for Kelsie Dayna as a new business owner who has learned how to turn her passion into a career. “Usually when I paint murals, it’s just me. Seeing how many volunteers came to help paint and clean up the school for this Community Service Day was impressive,” says Dayna. “It’s amazing how much we can get done when we find a way to all work together creatively.”