Naanz NikNaks

07/06/2026

Talofa tagata aulelei! 🌊🫧🩵

I present to you last semester’s final project for my printmaking class that I have been thinking about heavily and has grown to be one my favorite pieces I’ve ever created. “My Handsome Darling” is a piece inspired by my beloved fa’afatama who show the most genuine love despite all the hatred formed against them for simply being. In this piece, I want to remind all my Pasifika men, young and old, cis and trans, to “stay gentle” and vulnerable in the face of violent patriarchal views that govern this world. To be reminded that masculinity isn’t a confined concept but a fluid transaction of male and feminine energy. ✨ Masculinity in what I understand it is an energy that fiercely protects, gently handles, and fervently guides in a level-headed conscious. As one of my favorite songs by Mac Miller says, “you don’t gotta be old to be a man”, you are a man through the way that you hold yourself, through the way that you serve others, and through the generous, genuine love that you give. I do not know much about what it “takes” to be a man but I sure do know what a true man does for the people he loves and the energy he possess inside of himself! A true man is never ashamed to showcase his vulnerability and be tender when the moments call for it. He is brave, he is strong, he is wise. 🫂🫀

Though most of my art is for the girlies (because I myself am just a girl 🧚🏽), I want to show my love for my brothers and loverboys. Oute alofa ia te ‘oe, la’u pelega aulelei ! The babygirl in me sees the babyboy in you soooo stay shining bright babyboy! 🌟

All the blessings & love 🕯️💋
-Naanz

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08/15/2025

Extremely proud of these beautiful, young talents for putting themselves out there with their creative, outstanding minds! ☺️🎨

Thank you, Jillana S. AhLoe, for giving me the opportunity speak about my own journey as a young artist! Who Got Roots , I admire what you do so much. Thank you for helping us who are living in the diaspora to feel connected to home, our ancestors, our foundation as a people! ❤️‍🩹

Art and creativity is a necessity for the longevity of our legacy! A message to all my beautiful people out there, you ARE an artist and a visionary! Now go create something you’re proud of my loves! 🤗💭

Ofa lahi atu!!!
-Naanz 💖

Roots of Resilience: Featured Works from Who Got Roots 2025 is an art exhibit and groundbreaking community art ini­tiative presented by Salt Lake Community C...

08/10/2025

August Artist of the Month 🤗🌟

Thank you for this opportunity to showcase my artwork for the whole month of August! 🙌🏽 It is a wonderful feeling being able to display my Pasifika pride through my art during Utah’s Pacific Island Heritage Month! 🌺

I am forever grateful for my tribe for always showing up for me physically and spiritually, I am truly blessed to have you beautiful people supporting me! 🌹 Words cannot describe how much I appreciate you! 🩷♾️

If you couldn’t make it out last night, no worries! If you have the chance please visit ‘s absolutely gorgeous studio to see some of my new pieces 🫣 as well as supporting a lovely local business and incredible, diverse artists that they host! 😚

美しい皆さん、大好きです 🌸
- Naanz ☺️

07/22/2024

YAY AREAAA!!! 🤗

I had a wonderful time with all of you beautiful people! Thank you so much for having me! It was truly an experience I will forever treasure especially due to the people I’ve met and being able to share my art in a space dedicated to my Grandpa Ace 🤍🪽

The talent and vibes in the Bay are as always, incredible! It is always so inspiring seeing my Pasifika family together supporting one another! 🫂 I got some gorgeous treasures from , , .arts , and many more this trip that I have been so excited about! 🤭🫶🏽 Thank you all for sharing your creative minds, I can’t wait to see what else you come up with! 😻

With much love in my big ole heart,
-Naanz 🫀

06/04/2024

Legacy Child (My Grad Speech) 👩🏽‍🎓:

Known as one of four, my coming up was overshadowed by the three talents who existed before me.
I’m a legacy child, holder of high expectations, standards, and paved pathways.
A heart pumping anxious blood and eternal racing thoughts of “I have to keep up”.
Yet turmoil just seemed to follow me around, my legs trudging through the ache.
Through illness, through adaptation, through a division in the home we shared.
Wandering in my soul was the only thing to keep me afloat.
Daydreaming about the day in where I’d hear the deafening fa’aumu accompanying my name, knowing that “hey maybe I did really keep up after all”, “maybe this was all worth it in the end”.

I am a legacy child, known because of the marks of my malu and of my tualima, claiming me as one of their own.
Known as a mosaic of a million-dollar smile, blends of harmonies that “heals the heart and makes it whole, flows from heaven to the soul”, and pretty little roses connecting me back to who I really am.
A legacy child; I was born to do great things in my lifetime.
Foreshadowed by the three talents before me, their inspiration so radiant in my eyes.
I am a legacy child, meant to shine like a supernova, my ancestors wouldn’t settle for anything less.
Now that I see my life unfold, I know I was meant to survive here.
I am a legacy child, the legacy all mine.

🌹🤍✨

05/14/2024

I’ll be here this Saturday selling original works, prints, stickers and more! 💐 Come with loved ones and enjoy y’all selves! 😉🌹🤍

Hope to see ya!
-Naanz 💋

05/04/2024

Tattooed Heart

The heart.
A commonality between life.
Mine is tattooed.
Symbols of my soul.
It persevered through the ache.
Now it shines anew.

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05/04/2024

S.O.B. (Stand On Bidness)

Many iconic family memories derive from our neighborhood Trunk-or-Treats on Halloween. This specific painting comes from one of the events where my oldest sister, mom, and auntie dressed up like pimps but told all the little kids that they were “gangstas”. 😭 I wanted to put my own little spin on this moment captured by an old iPhone. I wanted to take my family’s vibrant pimp suits and turn them into chiefly suits radiating power. These women always “stand on bidness” when it comes to stepping up to care of family. I wanted to show that even though the men in our culture hold the titles of chief, it is the women who hold them and the others down. I wanted to showcase the matriarchal nature of Pasifika culture and how I see our women’s duality of energy and strength. 💪🏽

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05/03/2024

Kalapu Mafia

To understand this image you’ll have to understand what a kalapu is. Kalapu is a word that originates from Tonga, it translates to club. A kalapu is a club of (usually) men who commune around kava (a brownish-gray drink that comes from the root of the kava plant that has depressant effects on the body causing mental clarity due to a relaxed body) to “talk story” and jam out to music essentially. This practice of communion has been in my culture for centuries and continues till this day with my uncle. My uncle, Elton, is one of the founders of Hog Farm, a kalapu of my uncles and family friends that I’ve known for my whole life. All of these men in Hog Farm have shown up and shown out for me time and time again so it only makes sense that I shout them out. I created “Kalapu Mafia” to show how I see my uncles and their beautiful brotherhood, they are loyal protectors and educators of the next generation. They are those guys fo sho! 😎🖤

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05/03/2024

Higher Heights

The legacy and belief in education has driven my family to achieve “higher heights”. My siblings are my inspirational role models who give me the strength and support to achieve my passions. They paved the way for me to be enthusiastic about learning and gaining wisdom which has led me to be successful in my education. (We all relate in the struggle fr 😭) My siblings have all graduated from high school and college and now, I follow in their footsteps. Though we rarely get sentimental with each other… To my siblings, thank you for your lessons, your achievements that inspire my every move, and your love for your little ‘ole sister aka me! 👭🏽 I love you Yeiyei, Ani, and Pua. ❤️

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