For the past 35 years, Garry Ono has illustrated a variety of articles for Island Scene magazine and countless HMSA projects. His work showcases his talent for blending dreamlike imagery and vivid hues to visually complement the words on the page. Before he heads off to retirement, we talked to Ono as he reflects on his career and what art means to him.
Ono’s artwork often accompanied the I Remember When column in Island Scene magazine.
Origin of an artist
While he began his career at HMSA in 1991, Ono’s interest in drawing started at a young age. “My older brother used to draw when we were kids, and I would try to copy him,” he says. “We’d draw comic books for our friends. I still think he’s the better artist.”
After graduating from Pearl City High School, Ono went on to earn his business degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His first job was at an escrow company. “I didn’t like the work, but if I’d stayed, my life would be very different,” he says. “But I took a chance and went to art school in San Francisco. No regrets.”
Corporate life
Once he graduated from art school, Ono returned to Hawaii and started freelancing. There was pressure to prove to his dad that he could make a living as an artist. “He didn’t understand what the art thing was all about, but he happened to know someone who worked at HMSA,” Ono says. “So, I met him and showed him my portfolio, which he shared with his art director colleague.” As a result, Ono was hired to design the cover of a 50-year history of HMSA. “The art director must have liked what I did because he mentioned they were planning a new member magazine called Island Scene,” he says. “I was brought on as a designer and illustrator, and I’ve been here ever since.”
When his dad saw the first cover Ono illustrated for the magazine, he was so proud. “He finally understood what I did and that it could be a full-time career,” Ono says. “Island Scene is a big reason I stayed at HMSA for so long.”
Ono’s first cover image appeared on the summer 1993 issue of Island Scene.
There are other reasons for his long dedication to the company. “Time went by quickly, I think because of the people,” Ono says. “And I enjoyed what I was doing. I hope I helped at least one person, somehow, through my work.”
He knows that being able to utilize his artistic abilities in a corporate job is rare. “I was lucky that I could be creative and collect a steady paycheck,” he says. “If I didn’t work here, I’d be trying to sell my art on the zoo fence. Once, for an Island Scene article, I was quoted as saying that I was happy to be able to create art for stories even if it eventually gets used to line bird cages.”
Ono illustrated Keiki Corner and other columns.
New beginnings
As he looks toward retirement, Ono isn’t sure what’s next, and he’s OK with that. His wife is also retiring, and his three children are now grown. “When my daughter was little, she used to sit on my lap while I was trying to work and ask me about colors or what I was drawing,” he says. “Now, I’m about to retire and she’s finishing her clinicals, about to enter the workforce.”
Ono with his family.
His advice for anyone embarking on their career is simple. “Try to find a balance between what you’re good at and what you don’t mind doing,” he says. “Enjoy the process, be nice to your colleagues, and find reasons to be grateful every day.”
Read Lisa Baxa’s publisher’s note for the winter issue of Island Scene, where she bids Ono farewell with a heartfelt mahalo for his contributions to the magazine since its inception.
A gallery of work
Check out Ono’s artwork for the following Island Scene articles:
