About the Studio
MEET THE ALOHA ‘ĀINA BRAND DESIGN & STRATEGY TEAM
CREATING FOR A STRONGER HAWAI‘I
VALUES WE REFUSE TO COMPROMISE
Accessibility
Building (or re-building) a brand is a big moment. To make the investment an easy one, we offer flexible deposits, payment plans, and a full spectrum of offerings available for each unique client.
Trust
At Ka‘ānani‘au Studio, there's no such thing as behind-the-curtain or manufactured urgency. Through the entire process, we share transparently and give our clients the time they need to make confident, aligned decisions.
Quality
We don't skimp on strategy or creative process because we are truly committed to our clients' real, lasting success. We only share work we're proud of and we take the kuleana of our client's brands seriously.
Our Big "Why"
FOR OUR PEOPLE & ‘ĀINA
We believe real change is within reach, and local leaders are the ones laying the foundation.
The more our local organizations and businesses thrive, the more we can meet our own needs on our own terms, in ways that serve our people and our ‘āina. When community provides, community decides.
Imposed systems in recent history have created hostile economies in which individuals find themselves pushed out of right relations and into survival-mode. But, when we reclaim the economic landscape of our communities by creating and sustaining our own businesses, we are free to make choices that honor our pilina instead of sacrificing them.
When communities reclaim self-determination, we can make decisions that honor and protect our people as well as our deep connection with ʻāina. ‘Āina provides, ‘āina fulfills, and ‘āina loves.
By strengthening local businesses, we not only support individuals and households in our community, but we rebuild collective power, reclaim collective time, and reinforce the creation of futures that honor our people and our ʻāina instead of trading them away.
E ola ka Lāhui Hawai‘i! Aloha ‘āina!
MEET THE FOUNDER
Maria “Malia” Penner
Founder & Designer
Before opening the studio, Malia spent over twenty years as a visual artist across various 2D and 3D mediums. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree majored in Arts, Culture & Conflict Transformation, minored in History, studying at four universities across four different nations.
Now, Malia stays closer to home in Wai‘anae. Before specializing in brand design, she spent her years community organizing, teaching, surfing, lifeguarding, and tending kalo. Her connection to land, ocean, and community continues to shape her approach to her creative and client-serving work; caring and purposeful.
After a traumatic brain injury in 2024 changed her course, with the support of her partner Pohai, and the guidance of Shavone Lave at Wai‘anae Economic Development Council, Ka‘ānani‘au Studio was "reborn." During her recovery, she spent her capable hours between the māla and the computer, learning all about brand strategy, brand design, and how applying this knowledge and skill could positively impact the future of lāhui Hawai‘i.
MEET THE TEAM
Pohai Duarte
Very Supportive Partner
Yes, it's unusual to see a supportive partner mentioned on the website of any business, but at Ka‘ānani‘au Studio, we value transparency, so we give credit where it's due.
Pohai is Ka‘ānani‘au Studio's behind-the-scenes MVP. What's his role at the studio? He's known by a few titles around here: Chief Pep Talk Officer, Head of Good Ideas Department, and Dreams Reinforcement Team Lead. He may not be on payroll, but without him there would be no Ka‘ānani‘au Studio, just Malia crying into her sketchbook with no clean dishes.
Pohai, by trade, is a legendary-status, top-tier, premium-grade handyman. One time, he ran a marathon. He's a skilled DND player, is a hammah in da lo‘i, makes the best beef stew on the planet (seriously), and has a freaky-good memory for every single One Piece character. Pohai is so many things; genuinely funny, endlessly supportive, a wonderful partner, my favorite teammate, and just a really good man. Mahalo palena ‘ole e ku‘u waipua.
INTERESTED IN JOINING THE KA‘ĀNANI‘AU STUDIO TEAM?
Send an email to aloha@kaananiaustudio.com to inquire about current studio openings.
![Today’s motto: “the reason we started is the reason we [must] continue.”
Yes, things are heavy beyond measure right now. But also, yes, we need you, now as much as ever, to fulfill your kuleana. (…and I don’t know if you need to hear this, but your kuleana is valid and important.)
It’s never been “business as usual,” so yes, Ka‘ānani‘au Studio will continue help our clients connect with the folks that need them most and make the impact they know deeply matters by building purposeful, strategic visual brand systems.
Even (especially) when it’s hard, our lāhui business owners and community leaders are creating the better and more beautiful world we know is possible. Mahalo kākou.
To learn more about Ka‘ānani‘au Studio and how we can help you uplift your kuleana, visit www.KaananiauStudio.com or send us a DM with any questions. Aloha.](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/626037988_18337658605214621_530642468406559448_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=107&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0xJUFMuYmVzdF9pbWFnZV91cmxnZW4uQzMifQ%3D%3D&_nc_ohc=H6HXqldZe6QQ7kNvwEQpZtd&_nc_oc=AdpdJUKTMgs2fDoc-mgPdfwmHfTIlk-FTae9hJL-rhTLLuku0jIiaMdVZGqt5y7MXDQ&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=mdvcNsWBsVkwLUR6gYM5MA&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQG4XJ2WSoiRBTWB7U50vtaO4bOvo8oP8SkNPsPY7n53GvrkK6McYxHGmSf9BVz69fTRWYt_QY5W&oh=00_Af1R5viZTr4SwsklU3PIGL0QYqYnIE3MEBv9qISsU_loQg&oe=69D44346)
![In the space of change, restoration, and unknowns that we find ourselves in, I offer this sentiment:
“Without the mirages of order that once seemed to protect you and filter reality, you feel naked and vulnerable, but also a kind of freedom. Possibilities that didn’t exist in the old story lie before you, even if you have no idea how to get there. The challenge in our culture is to allow yourself to be in that space, to trust that the next story will emerge when the time in between has ended, and that you will recognize it. […] If you are in the sacred space between stories, allow yourself to be there. It is frightening to lose the old structures of security, but you will find that even as you might lose things that were unthinkable to lose, you will be okay. There is a kind of grace that protects us in the space between stories. […] Clear of [the old story’s] fog, we can now receive a true vision of the next world, the next story, the next phase of life. From the marriage of this vision and this emptiness, a great power is born.”
- Charles Eisenstein (The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible, Page 122).
#Onipaa #OnipaaKakou #LahuiHawaii #AlohaAina](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/589612259_18334310467214621_5520901365598700654_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=109&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiRkVFRC5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=BdbOz0HHBYcQ7kNvwFF0FT7&_nc_oc=AdrgfVtYoY8bviRIDQ0V8zKx-1k_H-K7ust6I4Aa0xW7DC1BLMG48S5HEZGLH-T2JFc&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=mdvcNsWBsVkwLUR6gYM5MA&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQEV3rPbSOBD7AIEnc6cAklI1rS2RAl9PwmmCiXfAnEULte0dojoxwUP1lJ3XJ0W7kVqTBpFh7ld&oh=00_Af3CZRdgGbmUMoRDQKc2byXqj84icZnRNrdQq_QqDuvU1Q&oe=69D445DE)
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#AlohaAina #MālamaAina #BrandStrategy #VisualBranding #BrandIdentityDesign #StrategicDesign #CreativeStrategy #BrandDevelopment #BusinessBranding #OrganizationBranding #NonProfitBranding #CommunityOrganizingBranding #EventBranding #BrandConsulting #DesignForImpact #VisualStorytelling #GraphicDesign #WahineBusiness #WahineBiz #LahuiBusiness #LahuiBiz #HawaiiBrandDesign #HawaiiCreative #HawaiiBusiness #HawaiiLocalBusiness #HawaiiGraphicDesign](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/573109332_18325510951214621_8058346042616302552_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=104&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=4lN2smVcj3cQ7kNvwFt2PXJ&_nc_oc=AdrtaakL3nOBz76iivHdd_H0mrg4akbDOEHTU0yx_LUBWFxZ15h2RG9yAPjY0r-Uvk8&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=mdvcNsWBsVkwLUR6gYM5MA&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQFi2CkF_n4NH2WOyHfDhGdc8MDNVYvJsThCMLjlREHg76H_Td-KYKQw20M99bFJSw_22T1pBSKW&oh=00_Af1j0zK1g1jI3595mf0VoMPGsfFEa2LmBbo-oFbh9E2K9A&oe=69D45CF1)
![Every connection matters. 🤝 What kind of first impression is your brand making, and is it representing the relationship beneath it? 🥸 Are your ideal customers making it that deep, or do they get the first impression and walk the other way? 👀
🤠 Each decision can either cost or earn resources. 🌱You’re out here providing real value, but is your brand design system (or lack thereof) costing you? 🧐 Schedule your free consult call at [kaananiaustudio.com/contact] (link in bio). We’ll help you design the brand system that maximizes your earnings, prevents missing out on fruitful connections, and ensures all your work pays off for years to come.
⛰️ Aloha ‘āina
#BrandStrategy #VisualBranding #BrandIdentityDesign #StrategicDesign #CreativeStrategy #BrandDevelopment #BusinessBranding #OrganizationBranding #NonProfitBranding #CommunityOrganizingBranding #EventBranding #BrandConsulting #DesignForImpact #VisualStorytelling #GraphicDesign #WahineBusiness #WahineBiz #LahuiBusiness #LahuiBiz #HawaiiBrandDesign #HawaiiCreative #HawaiiBusiness #HawaiiLocalBusiness #HawaiiGraphicDesign](https://scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/558804635_18320953555214621_117744727760552537_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=108&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=fPe7ZifEIdYQ7kNvwEc3tTB&_nc_oc=AdpA8Tpo5G3huf6zTJpm8c0YkXmyO36GFm63KP-NMQ_u7yMNN-66NRspfr_lu6eFzqU&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=mdvcNsWBsVkwLUR6gYM5MA&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQHwnNd1F3GS8AQjz97D1OXdRHjVeRwX7EKFM8rRSxull6HFUn-jG3Zt5dGJRQkxZWZc6E5MhTVU&oh=00_Af1WvbuaaMOwxhPbLlpH-wyVhRSRMT3YSBAes5w_BoZvDA&oe=69D4645C)
ALOHA ‘ĀINA
