POW! WOW! HAWAII 2020 was amazing, to say the least. With a list of participating artists as long as an artist’s paint shopping list, there was some very serious and conceptual mural work as well as some downright heartwarming art with a sense of humor. One artist that managed to facilitate many of these characteristics is New York-based artist, PERSUE. His technical precision and vibrant choice of color gives the viewer the sense that this is an artist that is very in tune with his inner child. Both playful and serious, PERSUE (pronounced Per- SWAY) approaches his work with the skills of a professional graffiti artist merged in the mind of an illustrator/graphic Designer.

Creating with his inner child

PERSUE (aka Dave Ross) has clear roots not only in graffiti but also in commercial art making a name for himself in the skateboard industry long before street art had become “a thing” in the culture. Also known as the creator of the WET PAINT project, PERSUE created a mural that not only adorns the building it is on with a positive appearance, he also incorporates some enjoyable visual objects such as mushrooms, child-friendly critters, and an illustrative outer space scenery to keep the viewer guessing and smiling. Take a look for yourself here.

Image by Brandon Shigeta

Street art that works on many levels, this is a mural open for interpretation with any age or subculture. Painted with the strong and UV resistant Montana GOLD colors in the beautiful backdrop of Hawaii, PERSUE’s mural is bound to fascinate all those who pass it.