FOUNDER
Kelly Valencia
AUTHOR & EDUCATOR
30+ years of experience
BUSINESS STRATEGIST
20+ years building businesses
10,000+ ENCOURAGING LETTERS
Shared across 50+ countries
Aloha, I'm Kelly!
Hi, I’m Kelly Valencia—an artist, author, educator, business strategist, and lifelong letter writer living on the North Shore of Kauaʻi. As the founder of Aloha Life Letters, I bring together three things that have shaped nearly my entire life: creating art, telling meaningful stories, and encouraging people.
It started when I was nine years old. I would flip through the white pages, pray about whom to write to, and when a name seemed to stand out, I took that as my cue. Sometimes I sent a letter, sometimes a poem, and often I left off my name and return address entirely. I wanted someone, somewhere, to find a little unexpected encouragement in their mailbox.
More than 30 years later, I’ve handwritten and sent over 10,000 letters to people in 50+ countries, while building a career around writing, publishing, teaching, art, and business.
Aloha Life Letters feels like all those pieces of my life finally meeting in one place. Through my artwork and letters, I hope to help people slow down, notice the good that is already around them, and find a little more beauty, encouragement, and connection in ordinary life. That’s what I’ve been doing since I was nine. Now there’s just more art involved.
Sharing Paradise
Having lived on both Oʻahu and Kauaʻi, I’ve learned that Hawaiʻi has a remarkable way of making you pay attention: The crashing waves, winding mountain roads, tropical flowers, changing skies, hidden beaches, wildlife, and everyday rhythms of island life have stopped me in my tracks more times than I can count. Living here as an artist and writer has taught me to notice the small things, slow down, practice gratitude, remain resilient, and remember how much beauty can exist in an ordinary day.
That is the Hawaiʻi I want to capture in my art—not simply picturesque scenery, but the feeling of being here. My Hawaiʻi-inspired paintings celebrate the islands’ vibrant landscapes, native plants and wildlife, food, traditions, and the familiar, grounding details of local life. I also love sharing the stories, language (ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi), and cultural context connected with what I create, because Hawaiʻi is so much more than an aesthetic or tropical backdrop. It is a living place with a deep history, rich culture, and profound meaning, deserving genuine care and respect.
I wish everyone could experience the trade winds, warm sunshine, mountain views, ocean air, and everyday moments of wonder that continually inspire me in Kīlauea and across the islands. Since I can’t physically bring everyone to Hawaiʻi, I send a little piece of the islands straight to your mailbox through my artwork and Aloha Life Letters instead.
Ready to bring a touch of the islands, slow-living inspiration, and original art into your daily rhythm? Join Aloha Life Letters today.