Aloha Got Soul trusted me with total creative freedom to design and produce a collection of merch to go along with their vinyl re-issue of Kalapana's self titled record.

My goal was to present the feel of the record (which came out in 1975) in a way that is appealing in 2022,without sacrificing the spirit of the original era.
I wanted it to appeal across multiple generations- just like the music. You can read a little more on my favorite items below.

Kona Daze
Both images of this graphic come from a concert program. They actually used the sun illustration on a shirt back in the late 80's (worn here by Elliot Smith). I really wanted to make something new instead of just re-creating an old shirt. The lyric from Kona Daze matched the sun illustration, and the image of the band in the back of the truck paired nicely. Overall I'm proud of how 70's this one felt while still being modern enough to wear. This sold the fastest out of the collection!

Naturally
This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. The lyrics and string arrangements suggest a feeling of soaring in the afterlife.
My good friend's Mom passed away and I remember they played this at her funeral. Her name was Laurie and her favorite color was Blue, which are both found in the song's lyrics.
The design was inspired by a layout you might find in a funeral pamphlet.

Slow Down…
I’ve had this idea for a bumper sticker for a while now, but never expected I’d get to produce it in any kind of official capacity.
I was on my phone while driving searching for Kalapana on Spotify. A guy swerved in front of me all fast- 1 second later the phrase and idea popped into my head and stayed up until now.
I wanted it to look and feel like a bumper sticker with the font selection and color- I was very specific with the printers about making it Keep the Country Country green.

I knew the sticker would great on an old truck with a classic paint job.

Long story short that thought evolved into writing a skit to promote the release weekend at the shop. I got my talented friend Erick to shoot and color the video.

The video and bumper sticker were a massive success to the label so I think the lesson here is to use your phone while driving.