Letter From The Editor

As you can tell from our cover image, Sean Yoro’s artwork is amazing. Seriously, while our staff writer/social media manager Nicole Kato was working on this story, I used this as an excuse to pore over his Instagram. There is something truly mesmerizing about his work.

Best known for his huge portraits, primarily of women, Yoro has been gaining a lot of widespread attention. A few years ago, he moved from Oahu to New York City — in, as Nicole writes, a “make it or break it” move for his career.

Well, I think it is safe to say that he made it. One of his most recognizable projects to date has been painting his signature murals on broken-off glaciers as they floated around the Arctic.

Yoro was home recently creating a new piece in Waikiki, so Nicole had a chance to catch up with him while he was in town. For more on Yoro and more images of his stunning work, click here.

In other news, I’m sure you’ve heard by now that Christa Wittmier is retiring from her career in the liquor industry. And she’s got a super sweet send-off party planned that’s going to feature live music, food, fashion, and so much more.

Christa tells me that she’s retiring in order to focus on her health. As many of you know, Christa found out this summer that her cancer had returned.

But in true #CWStrong fashion, here’s something: She wrote on her blog in late September that her oncologist had told her in May that when breast cancer spreads to the brain, patients have a six-month life expectancy. “So, May, June, July,” Wittmier wrote, “OK, so that means if she was correct, that my time is up come October.” And now here we are mid-December.

For details on the party, see more here. We’ll see you there!