Embernate wins T-shirt design contest

A winner has been announced in the contest to design a T-shirt for the Kaniku Marine Reserve.

The task was to design original artwork conveying the way marine reserve areas improve fishing in nearby areas. The T-shirts are for volunteers and supporters of the proposed Kaniku Marine Reserve in South Kohala.

Many creative and colorful designs were submitted, and Brittney Embernate of Waimea was declared the winner of an Apple iPad mini.

The artist explains her concept:

“The circle image located on the front and the back of the shirt is called a ‘Koru’ and what that symbol represents is the ‘New Beginning’ and I see this reserve as a new beginning for the marine life. The ocean waves also share the same characteristics of the Koru spiral,” Embernate said. “I knew I wanted to incorporate the human figure in some way and that is why the hands are there. I see the reserve as one of the ways us humans can help to start and maintain this new beginning.

“As for the fish, I chose the pakuikui fish because it is a reef fish and many people see this fish as a good eating fish. The overall concept is that this is a new beginning that we as humans can start and maintain and in return repopulate not only our heritage and culture but also one of our main food source.”

Embernate’s family has strong paniolo roots in the Waimea area. She graduated from Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii in Keaau in 2007. She has always loved to draw and paint and do anything “artsy” and creative, she said. Her computer classes gave her the skills to create graphic designs on screen. This led her to seek out a college with a good graphics design program. She chose Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., which reminded her of Waimea. She graduated from OSU in June 2011 with a bachelor in fine arts: graphic design and a minor in art history. Currently, she is working as a graphic designer for a phone book directory on the Big Island.