Akima Kai

Akima Kai has been passionate about sharing her love of the ocean and mother nature thru her photography for over 20 years. She is an ocean photographer, mermaid model, free-diver, skin diving instructor and tour guide. She got her first underwater camera in 1999. Fascinated with the underwater world and marine life she found her passion to be in the saltwater.

She has lived in Japan, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Philippines. After 12 years of traveling the North and South Pacific Islands of Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, Marshall Island, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Niue, she has finally found a place to call home here in beautiful Hawaii nei.

While living in Hawaii she began free-diving and discovered it is the best way to photograph marine life. She wants you to feel the raw and wild power of the Earth. She hopes her work will help you connect with nature and remind you who we share this planet with and that this is a place we need to do our part to save. Her photography showcases her journeys and adventures around the world capturing the true colors of the earth.

Connect with the raw beauty of the Earth. When she opened her own gallery WAIMEA BLUE in Hawaii in 2019 she also began making her own Ocean art in addition to her photography. Her one of a kind, handcrafted pieces of original art are inspired by and made in the surfing capital of the world: North Shore, Haleiwa, Hawaii. Using only locally grown reclaimed wood and epoxy resin, she likes to think of her wood art as breathing a second life into the tree. Akima has lived and traveled to over thirty countries, spending most of her time in the water. The blue of the ocean, its white waves, sea breeze and marine life are her sources of inspiration.

Her gallery WAIMEA BLUE, has been her dream project. A place where local artists can share their love of the ocean and the beautiful islands of Hawai’i they call home.

Please visit Waimea Blue Gallery in Haleiwa, Island of Oahu to see local art. 66-250 Kamehameha Hwy Haleiwa HI 96712

Don't hesitate to reach out Contact us.

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Oh well, That's boring profile wasn't it? lol

 When I was younger, I was getting board of drinking and partying and start thinking what I can do, what I want to do.  I was born and raise in the one of the biggest city in the world so I don' t need to go seek big city experience.

I love motor bike/car and the Ocean. So I was like okay let's go over sea for scuba diving! I bought underwater camera equipment and got a year visa to Australia. 

BUT my very big problem is SEASICK. This is huge problem for diving or underwater photography. My seasickness has never been better even I worked on the boat many years or being in/on the Ocean half of my life time. I was going to die a few times because of seasick. 

 What I want is hardest thing to do for me but I just couldn't quit. Once you connected dolphins/whales you cannot leave them. 

 My passion was I WANT TO SHARE THIS BEAUTIFUL WORLD THAT THE EARTH HAS. The life freely exist here and they need our help to have safe life nowadays so I could not give up. 

 After over 20 years, I am still getting sea sick and I am still doing this with same passion and dream I had. 

 After I opened Waimea Blue Gallery in Haleiwa, Oahu by accident (yup that was totally by accident!) I realized a lot of people appreciate my work. My clients say “I appreciate your work.” I say Please remember I appreciate your support. As much as you appreciate my work I appreciate your support."     

Oh how I start making wood work, resin and digital art?

I opened Waimea Blue Gallery in March 31, 2019 and one year anniversary no need to say what happened right? I was a tour guide that time too but all tours were canceled and the gallery have to shut down by state order also beaches are closed so I was really stack in the house but I was like okay now I have time. I wanted work on the wood but i didn't have time but now I have right? Then I started working on the wood, additionally making my own Ocean with local reclaimed wood. 

Waimea Blue Gallery, we are also 18 local artist we are featuring. When I am working in the gallery these art inspire me and a lot of ideas are coming up but I cannot paint, really I cannot so I figure out how I can make something without painting? I can use maybe computer instead of painting the I start making alcohol ink art, photo into digital art by the computer. Don't call me "artist" I am not. I am an underwater photographer who is trying to survive with her dream.       

So thank you for my funs, who let me keep my hardest dream job! You are not only supporting me. You are supporting someone's dream, passion and life. 

Thank you for reading my broken EngRish!! Aloha nui!

Mahalo nui loa
Akima Kai