Meet the man behind mural masterpieces across Oahu

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Athletes working to get stronger and faster in Moiliili are now under the watchful gaze of a 12-foot tall Max Holloway.
The hulking body emblazoned on the wall of Tactical Strength and Conditioning is the latest masterpiece from Honolulu street artist Tehrell Porter.
The 34-year-old spent 20 hours creating the massive portrait and says it was serendipity that the piece ended up on the wall of a gym Holloway calls home.
Porter says he made countless cold calls, offering the painting to gyms across the island, but the only one that called him back was a fitness center Holloway trains at.
The towering tribute pays homage to Holloway’s roar of victory after knocking out Justin Gaethe for the UFC BMF title in April.
“It really pushed me to reach another level of my craftsmanship” said Porter, who revealed Holloway’s tattoos proved to be his biggest artistic challenge to date.
But Porter has had plenty of practice; he’s known around the country for his hyper-realistic murals of the late five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant. Seven of those murals are on Oahu.
And it’s not just the Black Mamba, Porter recently painted a mural of late basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton. The colorful tribute wasn’t on canvas, instead it was on a backboard which Porter hoisted for shots and dunks at the Maui Invitational, the college basketball tournament Walton used to commentate.
But it’s not just athletes, businesses have commissioned Porter to brighten their walls with giant 3D portraits of influential figures and even cartoons like Dragon Ball Z.
Porter, who attended Wahiawa Elementary, credits his aunt for unintentionally sparking his love for art. He says as a child if he got bad grades, she would make him read National Geographic books which inspired him to draw animals.
Now 34 years old, Porter is still making those animals, but on a much larger scale. You may recognize his work if you buy a drink at Ala Moana’s Teapresso, just look for the enormous whale swimming off the wall. Or if you hang out at Kua Loa Ranch, keep your eyes peeled for King Kong facing off with a dinosaur.
And while Porter seeks out a location for his eighth Kobe Bryant mural on Oahu, he says he also wants to pay tribute to fellow NBA legend, Allen Iverson.
The image isn’t a jump shot or a crossover, instead its the iconic picture of ‘The Answer’ stepping over Tyronn Lue during Iverson’s 48-point game in the 2001 NBA Finals against the L.A. Lakers.
Until he finds the time to beautify another area of the island, Porter says his favorite portrait (for now) is his tribute to Holloway.
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