Surfer Kaimana Banes’ Sculptural Ocean-Inspired Lights
Kaimana Banes draws from his time on the sea and shore for his stoneware sculptures that double as lights.
Photos: Kaimana Banes
Photo: Brooklyn Berry
Hawai‘i-made lighting is a rarity. So you can imagine our thrill at stumbling upon local potter Kaimana Banes’ minimalist stoneware sculptures that double as beautiful lights.
A longtime surfer, Waialua-based Banes often draws inspiration for his work, which also includes vases, drinkware and dishware, from his time among the swells. “Sitting in the water—looking at the reflections, the colors of the ocean, the clouds and the layout of the reef—inspires a lot of my pieces,” he says.
For his lights, Banes aimed to emulate the angular sandstones that dot shorelines. “The sand is so compacted that it creates these cool geometric rock formations,” he says. His wabi-sabi aesthetic is reflected in understated finishes—simple glazes that show off the clay’s natural color and create craterlike textures. The soft, warm light emanating from within has a peaceful, calming effect.
“Growing up by the beach, I watched sunsets every day,” Banes says. “I wanted to encapsulate that last orange glow of light before the sun dips below the horizon.”
kaimanabanes.com, @kaimanastoneware
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Brie Thalmann is the home and style editor of HONOLULU Magazine.
