Sean K. L. Browne

Spirit Way, silicon bronze sculpture by Sean K. L. Browne, 1987, Kapiʻolani Community College, Honolulu Sean Kekamakupaʻa Lee Loy Browne (born 1953) was raised on Hawaiian Homestead Lands in Keaukaha, Hilo, Hawaii. A graduate of the Kamehameha Schools class of 1971, he earned his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Redlands in 1975 and his Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1983. In 1981 he traveled to Pietrasanta, Italy to study marble carving under Paoli Silverio and was later accepted as an artist-in-residence at Henreaux Marble Company in Querceta, Italy. In 1985 he was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship, enabling him to study stone sculpture under the guidance of Isamu Noguchi in Shikoku, Japan. For many years, Browne taught sculpture at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and at Kapiʻolani Community College.

Sean’s metal and stone commissions have been executed in Hawaii, California and abroad, including the Yamada Stone Company in Mure, Japan, the Girogio Angeli studio in Querceta, Italy and the Versiliese Foundry in Pietrasanta, Italy.

Some of Sean’s figurative commission work of Hawaiian royalty can be seen in Waikiki, Honolulu, including statues of King David Kalakaua, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop and Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana’ole. Examples of Sean’s abstract stone and metal work, that draw inspiration from his native Hawaiian culture, can be seen at Kapiʻolani Community College, Pali Momi Medical Center, the Hawaii State Art Museum, the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii and the Ellison Onizuka Airport, Kona, Hawaii.

Notable works Ikaika (strong) (1980), cast bronze and black granite sculpture, Hawaii State Art Museum Hui (1983), cast bronze, 1001 Bishop Square, Honolulu, Hawaii Ka Makau (1983), bronze sculpture, Keaukaha Elementary School, Hilo Ka Peahi IV (1983), sculpture, Hawaii State Art Museum Na Moku Ekolu (Three Islands) (1985), cast and welded silicon bronze sculpture, Maui Community College, Kahului Orpheus (1985), cast bronze, Honolulu Museum of Art Ring Pounder (1987), Westin Kaua’I Hotel, Lihue, Kaua’i Spirit Way (1987), bronze sculpture, Kapiʻolani Community College, Honolulu Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono (1988), Carrara marble sculpture, Wailuku Judiciary Complex, Maui Aina Lani (1989), black granite tile and stainless steel sculpture, Pali Momi Medical Center, Pearl City Cape Form (1990), cast and welded bronze, Four Seasons Hotel, Wailea, Maui Mahaina II (1990), bronze sculpture, The Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu Portrait of Maurice Sullivan (1990), cast bronze, St. Francis Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii King David Kalakaua (1989–91), bronze sculpture, Waikiki Gateway Park, Honolulu Fish Form (1991), granite, Grand Hyatt Wailea, Wailea, Maui Liberty (1991), black granite, Yamada Stone Museum, Aji, Kagawa, Japan Lahui (1992), silicon bronze sheet sculpture, Kakaako Waterfront Park Lima Hoola (1993) basalt sculpture, Hawaii State Hospital, Kaneohe Portrait of Sister Maureen Keleher O.S.F. (1994), cast bronze, St. Francis Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii Manta (1995), cast and welded bronze, Bank of Hawaii, Kapolei, Hawaii Pahoa (1995), basalt terrazzo sculpture, Pahoa High and Intermediate School, Pahoa Portrait of Mayor Tony Kunimura (1999), cast bronze, Lihue Civic Center, Kaua’i Mahiole (2000), red granite sculpture, Kona International Airport, Kona Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana 'ole (2001), bronze sculpture, Kuhio Beach Park, Waikiki Ka Makahiki (2003), bronze and brass sculpture, Maemae Elementary School, Oahu Ke Kaii (The Guardian) by Sean K. L. Browne, granite 2003, Hawaii State Art Museum's Sculpture Garden Memorial Fountain (2005), limestone, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center, Waianae, Hawaii Parian Warrior (2005), carved marble sculpture, Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, Hawaii Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop (2007), cast bronze , Helumoa, Waikiki, Hawaii Kahu O Ka Wai O Hilo (2009), black granite, Hilo Judiciary Complex, Hilo, Hawaii Masaru (Pundy) Yokouchi (2010), cast bronze, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Kahului, Maui Pupukahi I Holomua Kakou (united we grow) (2013), cast/welded bronze sculpture, Kohala Elementary School, Kohala, Hawaii Ko’I (adze) (2023), black granite, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, Honolulu, Hawaii