HONOLULU (KHON2) – What started out as a regular day in art class has flourished into a local non-profit organization.

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Stephanie Hung, a Punahou School senior and creator of Artist Saves Waves, is now using her passion for a greater cause.

Hung’s artwork started gaining popularity in class. Other students started offering to pay for the senior’s masterpieces.

“I don’t need the money for myself and I kind of would rather put it into something that I care about and something that matters to me,” said Stephanie Hung, the founder of Artist Saves Waves.

Hung started saving her money and assembled her own non-profit organization called Artist Saves Waves.

The 17-year-old is celebrating the unveiling of her mural at a Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii.

“I chose to paint Chinaman’s Hat, which is just off the shore of Kaneohe Bay. There’s such a beautiful array of marine life and corals down there that people don’t normally see very often,” Hung said.

The mural is spread over three huge panels near the food court at the water park.

The meaning behind the masterpiece paints a much bigger picture.

“I really wanted to get the message across that, individually we may not be able to change the world. But when we all come together and kind of work together as a group, toward one specific goal, we can make that happen.”

Proceeds from Hung’s unveiling is benefiting Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii.

“I was just really inspired that she thought of that,” said Rebecca Mattos of Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. “That the way that we can tackle this issue is by coming together and each kind of doing something that we’re all passionate about.”

Hung has also tapped into different avenues to get her message across like Kleenex boxes and face masks.

She hopes to continue her non-profit as she sets sail to the east coast for college next year.

To learn more about Artist Saves Waves, click here.

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