In Ocean of Stars, a traditional Polynesian single-hull canoe with an outrigger is rendered in luminous white linework, floating across a stylized field of oceanic waves and star-patterned sky. This work honors the ancestral art of celestial navigation—an oceanic knowledge system where stars served as memory, direction, and heritage.

Above the canoe, four prominent star clusters glow, each integral to traditional wayfinding:

Makali‘i (Pleiades) – A seasonal marker and spiritual symbol; known as Matariki in Māori tradition.

Ka Lupe o Kawelo (Southern Cross) – Used in the southern hemisphere to help determine latitude and maintain a southerly course.

Nā Hiku (Big Dipper) – Part of the Ursa Major constellation, this formation helps orient voyagers toward the northern star, Hōkūpa‘a (Polaris).

Hānaiakamalama (Orion) – A constellation significant in many Polynesian cultures, used in tandem with other stars to form accurate star paths across the Pacific.

Through geometric rhythm and starlit symbolism, Ocean of Stars becomes a visual chant—a homage to the seafaring ancestors who read the skies not merely for direction, but for connection. The work invites us to witness the ocean not as a void to be crossed, but as a storied expanse illuminated by memory and light.