Melón James

Melón James, a graffiti artist and muralist, shared his journey and the profound role trust has played in his life and work. Growing up in a gang-infested neighborhood in Chicago, trust was a matter of survival. He relied on his older family members to protect him, just as the neighborhood trusted his gang to look out for the community. Despite the harsh environment, Melón found inspiration in the gang emblems, which sparked his interest in graffiti. However, graffiti drew unwanted police attention to the neighborhood, so that eventually pushed him out of his neighborhood and into the city, where his artistic voice began to emerge. To Melón, graffiti was more than just paint—it was a story, a voice left behind in the form of a tag. Life brought him to Hawai‘i, a place he describes as “heaven.” Upon arriving, he began tagging his name everywhere, embedding himself in the local artistic community. What started as simple tags became the gateway to new connections and opportunities. Hawai‘i not only helped him evolve from a graffiti writer to a full-fledged artist, but also helped him grow into the man he is today. He flew back to Chicago, but felt an undeniable pull back to the island. He put his trust in the aloha spirit of the community and began to feel its transformative power. It was in Hawai‘i that he met his wife, who became his biggest supporter. She encouraged him to leave his 9-to-5 job and pursue his art full-time, trusting in his talent even when he doubted himself. With her support, Melón learned to trust himself and his vision, which led to the creation of Gangway Gallery—a space where he could share local artists’ work and give back to the community that shaped him. Melón credits his success to trust in all its forms: the trust of his family and community growing up, the trust of his wife and friends in his artistic journey, his faith, and the trust he has cultivated within himself. Even during hard times, he lives by the mantra “just show up,” drawing strength from the hardworking community around him.