Meet Jaimie Coloma | Tattoo Artist, Designer & Owner of elli-o HAWAII

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jaimie Coloma and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jaimie, what principle do you value most?
I have to stay true to myself and my art. Admittedly, I have an internal battle every time I design a new print. Sometimes it can take me months of tweaking before I feel satisfied to move on to production. Designing original prints for the fabric has been fun, but also challenging. They are direct reflections of my artistic taste and abilities. I also repurpose vintage Hawaiian fabrics, allowing them to be loved and appreciated for years longer, as opposed to ending up in a landfill on our islands never to be seen again. Some people might think that’s just something small, but I think every little bit helps. I think there has been such a massive, positive shift in global perspective concerning our impact on the planet. Although not all of my products are handmade anymore, I don’t think I will ever stop sewing and repurposing vintage. It is a very important part of elli-o’s principles, and also a great reminder of where I started.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.

My art background, business degree, and love of all things vintage just kind of ended up melting together into a successful business venture. Working as a professional tattoo artist for the last 13 years has definitely aided in cultivating a confident mindset as it relates to client/creator relations and putting forward a product I can proudly stand behind. I wanted to find a way to remain artistically and financially productive during the pandemic, as well as maintain my regular mom-duties at home with my 2 little boys. I have always been the type of person to look at how something is made or done, and think, “I can probably figure out how to do that”. So once I became a mom and was suddenly surrounded by kids’ clothing, I ended up applying the same mindset and knew I could make products that I would be proud of.

I genuinely believe that loving what you do and furthermore being personally involved in the conception and execution of your products creates a brand that stands apart from the influx of mass-production that permeates the modern consumer market. Five years ago, I wouldn’t have guessed Elli-o has grown to what it is today. Being raised in Hawaii and having a strong connection to the local culture here is such a huge part of me that hopefully shines through my brand. I have always been interested and attracted to vintage things of Hawaii, so it only seemed fitting to keep that aesthetic in my business. I feel good about using vintage fabrics to cut down on waste production, which also reduces our carbon footprint. Artistically, I find that the retro Hawaiian prints and style from the 70s is so unique and unparalleled. I love the vibe and energy from the era, so I am always looking to that as inspiration for my designs. Keeping it alive with all its loud, bright colors honestly makes me happy and I think other people might agree!

I have also recently started a position as an Art Teacher, part time at an elementary school. There’s something about seeing kids get excited about art that just brings me joy. I realized early on in my working years that a career and making a living takes up so much time. so being able to make a living doing things that I am passionate about and fuels my overall happiness is something I give high priority to. At the end of the day, family is the most important component of my life, parents can agree that we can never replace or get back time with our kids. There are definitely days when I wish I could wiggle more time on either end or juggle better, but I can honestly say I put genuine love, care and energy into the things I choose to spend my time on, and I feel good about that!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

This little town of Hilo, where I grew up, and am now raising my two little boys, is such a gem.

-Liliuokalani Park- Japanese influenced gardens & gorgeous clear view of Hilo bay.

-Hilo Farmer’s Market for fresh local fruits and veggies.

-Poke Market. Try their shiitake salmon and sweet potato salad!

-Kagimoto’s Store- the spam musubi, try the ume (plum)

-Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Punalu’u black sand beach, Ka’u to the southern most tip of the island/United States.

– Kawamoto store okazuya

-Kaunaʻoa (Mauna Kea) Beach and Hapuna Beach.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d definitely like to Shoutout my parents for always being supportive of my different ideas and new ventures I dove into during my early adult years, and there were many. I had to figure out what my passions were and I definitely did that by experimenting in different fields and industries. At the end of the day, even though I narrowed it down to art, I still appreciate different mediums and constantly want to experience and learn different types of artistry, and my parents are always encouraging of that.

Website: www.elliohawaii.com

Instagram: elliohawaii

Facebook: Facebook.com/elliohawaii