For Mr. Makana Wong, Moanalua ceramics teacher, art wasn’t always the plan, but clay eventually shaped his future.
He first discovered ceramics as a junior at Kalani High School, and it quickly became the class he looked forward to every day. When he entered college, he initially majored in business, but it didn’t feel right. “It wasn’t rewarding,” Wong said. “I didn’t enjoy it.”
Even while studying business, he kept taking ceramics as an elective, spending much of his time in the studio helping others. By the end of his sophomore year, he realized how much he loved assisting his peers and seeing their excitement when “things finally clicked.” That feeling, helping others find their creative spark made him see teaching as a path worth pursuing.
He switched from business to art, earning a degree in Studio Art (Fine Arts) from Pacific University. After a short break, he entered the teaching program at the University of Hawaiʻi, officially combining his love for art and education.
In 2016, a suggestion from his sister sparked the start of his business.“She told me succulents were really popular and that I should make planters for them and sell them at craft fairs,” Mr. Wong said.
He began making small planters and bowls, often with the help of his father, who taught him about growing and arranging succulents. At his first craft fair at “A Pinch of Salt” in Kakaʻako, he sold almost everything, including a few of his own ceramics pieces. “It was awesome seeing people engage with my ceramics work,” he shares. “Usually I’d just make things and give them away, but this made me realize I could do something more with it.”
He continued selling at local events like Moanalua’s winter craft fair, eventually shifting away from succulents to focus entirely on his ceramics. When the pandemic hit, he transitioned to word-of-mouth sales and custom orders through his Instagram page, @mwceramicshawaii. Wong would also make small batches of pieces (including bowls, plates, etc) and it would be featured in some places like Nohea Gallery, and Uncle Paul’s General Store in Mānoa.
Wong began teaching at Moanalua in 2014 and started working with the Hawaiʻi Potters Guild in 2017, a nonprofit community studio where he teaches two to three sessions per year.
“Ceramics was always a very popular program, but I think he maintains it. [I] as well as the past ceramics teacher have moved on [to teach other art classes],” Cher Takemoto, current photography teacher shares.
“I think because he’s taught for so long and because he is such a knowledgeable ceramic artist, he really has a lot to offer,” another Moanalua ceramics teacher, Anna Gruzinsky adds.
“Being part of the guild really opened up the community for me,” Wong said. “I met so many other artists and teachers, and it’s a great way to stay connected and keep learning.”
He now divides his time between teaching high school, leading classes at local studios such as Mud Studio, Fishcake Art Studio, Hickam Arts and Crafts Center, and offering private lessons. He also makes TikTok videos about ceramics on his TikTok page, @mwceramic.
When it comes to his teaching philosophy, Mr. Wong believes in quality over quantity. “With ceramics, it’s really easy to tell when things are rushed,” he said. “I try to instill pride in people’s work and have them put effort into making something that feels finished.”
Angelina Sapiens, a junior in Wong’s level three ceramics class shares, “Something he taught me that has stuck with me for both art and life is just to be patient and don’t force or rush what you want, as long as you can wait and be steady, the outcome will come to you.”
He also reminds students not to chase perfection too hard, advice his wife often gives him, too, “You want to strive for your best, but sometimes you have to let go of perfection.”
Sophomore Raoly Cavey Bumagat in ceramics level two agrees, saying that something Wong has taught him is “don’t try to be perfect and don’t do too much that you won’t be able to handle it.”
Still, balancing a full-time teaching job, a business, and a family isn’t easy. “Everything,” he laughed when asked what challenges come with balancing both. “Burnout happens a lot, especially when I have to make large batches. Managing my time isn’t something I’m great at.”
“It’s really amazing to think that Mr. Wong can run his own business and be a teacher at the same time despite also having a family to take care of,” Senior Casrhia Racca in ceramics level one expresses.
He credits his wife for helping him stay organized. “She’s like my business manager, my marketer, my email consultant, she does everything behind the scenes,” he said. “She helps me prioritize. It’s funny because that’s what I try to teach my students, but I don’t listen to my own advice.”
Through years of balancing roles as both a teacher and artist, he’s developed more patience, something he says has shaped him not only professionally, but personally. “It’s helped me be more understanding,” he said. “Not everything happens right away, and that’s okay. I’ve learned to build empathy, both with my students and at home with my family.”
For students dreaming of turning art into a career, Wong emphasizes commitment and passion over profit. “To be a full-time artist, you have to be ready to put in the time and effort, not just in your craft, but in running it like a small business,” he said. “You need to know how to market yourself, communicate, and deal with setbacks.” “At the end of the day, do it for the right reason,” he added. “If you’re just doing it to make money, you’ll always be chasing it instead of enjoying it.”
Gruvinsky acknowledges, “He shows that art is something that shouldn’t just be taken lightly. He shows it can be a serious and powerful thing if you let it.”
As for the future, Mr. Wong hopes to expand his online presence and help grow Hawaiʻi’s ceramics community. “I want to rebuild my collection and eventually set up an online shop,” he said. “I’ve had that goal since my first craft fair eight years ago.”
He also plans to continue collaborating with Nendo Studio, helping them grow as one of the island’s newest ceramics spaces. “My first step is teaching there next year,” he said. “I’m excited to help them build something new.”
“I love teaching, I always say that I am a teacher first, and an artist second,” Wong states. He continues to share and embed his love for ceramics into his teaching, inspiring and touching students’ creative hearts and minds.
