SEAN M. HOWER photo

Arizona sculptor Bobby Zokaites discusses his new art installation, “Wailuku Wings,” during an unveiling and blessing of the piece on June 20 at the Imua Discovery Garden in Wailuku. It’s the latest work of public art under the Small Town Big Art initiative and was developed in response to a 2021 call-to-artists by Small Town Big Art and Imua Family Services. Zokaites developed the 8-foot sculpture with steel framing and colorful polyurethane paneling over the course of four months and in consultations with local community members. It is inspired by the olelo no’eau “I mohala no ka Lehua i ke ke’eke’ehi ‘ia e ka ua.” (Lehua blossoms unfold because the rains tread upon them. It is the rain that brings forth the lehua blossoms. So do gentle words bring forth much that is desired.)