The limbs of a vibrant sculpture seem to dance like extensions of the surrounding 120-year-old monkeypod trees. A cluster of letters waits to be discovered as if it just blew in on the windward breeze. Pebbles the bunny crawls into a visitor’s lap, begging them to pet her soft ears. Nearby, Haupia, the little white alpaca, playfully rolls in the red dirt.

These are just some of the residents of the Imua Discovery Garden in the heart of Maui’s Wailuku Historic District. Here, lovebirds, bunnies, a tortoise, Rio—a green-winged macaw with a speech delay, and other therapy animals often wander among the sculptures of the “Steve Tobin from Earth to Sky” exhibit, the largest art installation to ever travel to Hawaiʻi. It’s an idyllic setting for children to learn through play, heal through connection to nature and grow by experiencing art.

The grounds of the garden invite keiki and kids at heart to look, feel and imagine instead of simply seeing. Feeding the animals is encouraged, as is hugging the trees, touching the sculptures and running through the grass. “It’s all part of Imua Discovery Garden’s mission to empower children and their families to imua (move forward) together,” says Lisa Chakmak, the Discovery Garden’s Experience Coordinator.

The idea of helping children of all abilities progress toward their full potential took root in 1947. Hawaiʻi was still a territory, and globally, the polio epidemic was at its height. On Maui, a group of visionary parents and community members formed a non-profit that became Imua Family Services to help children suffering from polio and their families. Over the past 77 years, Imua Family Services has adapted to support children with special needs, developmental delays, disabilities, behavioral issues and autism, as well as children who have experienced abuse, neglect, grief or trauma.

In 2016, Imua’s Inclusion Preschool opened alongside Imua’s Early Childhood Development Center in Kahului. Today, the nonprofit provides clinical services and therapeutic programs for children from birth to age six, including early intervention services, early childhood services, newborn hearing screening, autism services and a healthcare navigator system. “The clinical staff provides occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, social work and care coordination, ensuring that all children have what they need to thrive,” Chakmak says.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Dean Wong, Imua Family Services set out to secure an outdoor space intended to reconnect children and families with the healing power of nature. In 2017, the Yokouchi Estate in Central Wailuku was identified as the perfect property for fostering creativity, development and well-being. Designed by Charles William Dickey, a renowned 20th-century architect, the Yokouchi Estate sits on over six acres of historically significant land. “The legacy of this site dates to Hawaiian royalty. This was originally King Kahekili II’s compound,” Chakmak explains. “The property was once the residence of the first manager for the Wailuku Sugar Co. plantation. And the most recent owner, Masaru “Pundy” Yokouchi, was a successful businessman, art philanthropist and the founding chairman of the Maui Arts and Cultural Center.”

After members of the Yokouchi family facilitated the estate’s sale, the Will Smith Imua Discovery Garden was born. Its namesake acknowledges the Will Smith Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Susan Moulton to honor her son, Will, after his fatal traffic accident on Maui in 2007. The foundation, which has contributed significant funds toward creating the Discovery Garden, shares Imua’s commitment to providing positive life experiences for children. Featuring over 20 hands-on exhibits and spaces, the garden cultivates a creative, outdoor culture where the naturally inquisitive minds of children can learn through play and exploration. The garden is also home to an Outdoor Emergency Preschool, which Imua Family Services opened after the Maui wildfires in August 2023. Providing childcare for displaced families, 90% of the students in this preschool come from Lahaina.

Months before the wildfires, the Discovery Garden team was in discussions with acclaimed artist Steve Tobin about bringing his international large-scale exhibit to Hawaiʻi for the first time. As a conceptual artist and sculptor working in bronze, clay, ceramic, glass and steel, Tobin implements innovative techniques to blend scientific methodologies with industrial processes. Tobin’s art has appeared in major collections and museums worldwide, including the permanent installation of “Trinity Root,” a 20-foot tall bronze cast of the sycamore tree in St. Paul’s churchyard that shielded the chapel from destruction during the 9/11 attacks.

“We were really excited about bringing Steve Tobin’s gravity-defying art to the garden and how it would inspire children to look at a piece and project their own story onto it while demonstrating the healing power of nature. Then, the fires happened, and we had to decide if we should postpone the exhibit or move forward with it. We decided that we needed to imua and give Maui this place to heal after the fires. We needed the exhibit more than ever!” Chakmak exclaims. “For “Earth to Sky,” Steve selected eggs, nests, roots, trees and other pieces with a theme of rebirth specifically for Maui.”

Tobin introduced his mesmerizing “Earth to Sky” exhibit on Maui just five months after the wildfires. Much like the garden, the metal structures of Tobin’s exhibit amplify the uplifting spirit of healing and progress. “Steve’s lifework, morals and intention revere the natural world, which is why his art is only taking up 10% of space in the garden and enhancing its natural beauty,” Chakmak says. In addition to powering his studio with 500 solar panels, Tobin’s commitment to sustainability includes creating pieces from recycled material. Embodying the organic essence of nature, the Steel Root series features 30-foot-high steel pieces made from recycled oil pipe for an industrial yet organic aesthetic.

Several large bronze pieces of tree branches and trunks from the Bronze Forest Series are on display in the garden, including two sculptures from the Earth Bronze trilogy and one from Forest Floor, which captures the beauty of the Earth’s surface. Part of Tobin’s Cycle of Water series, the Clouds are polished stainless steel sculptures nestled in the garden’s lush ground covering, while the Icicles are made from hammered stainless steel and provide a unique contrast to the garden’s tropical vegetation.

The intricate Syntax Series plays with the visual language and structure of forms made by welding a multitude of cast bronze letters and numbers together into a small sphere and encasing it in larger and larger spheres. Tobin’s Nest series is defined by one-inch to 10-foot-high sculptures of ceramic, steel or bronze. The eggs in each nest are reflective, capturing the viewer's reflection and surrounding trees and the sun as it moves across the sky.

Out of all the “Earth to Sky” pieces, the Twisties, an installation of 30 sunny yellow sculptures eight to 17 feet high and 100 feet long, is continually the crowd favorite. Inspired by Asian calligraphy, the pieces rotate from a base sunk one foot into the ground and are designed to be interactive. “You can twist and spin them. We even had a hula halau dance among them,” says Chakmak. With “Earth to Sky,” Tobin also integrated sculptures with various textures that are meant to be touched. “It’s so fun to see the children working with therapists in the Discovery Garden, interacting with the art! It complements the garden’s programs and festivals, which are founded on the belief that children learn best through play and meaningful connections with each other and the world around them.”

Throughout the year, Imua Discovery Garden hosts various programs, including Camp Discovery, emphasizing how essential it is for children’s well-being to spend time exploring and unleashing their creativity in the open air. In July, Discovery Garden supporters participate in Paddle Imua, an annual paddling race that raises funds for Camp Imua, a recreational summer camp for children with special needs. In December, Pedal Imua, an annual bike ride, raises funds for Dream Imua, a wish-granting program for Maui County children facing crises because of abuse and trauma.

Imua Discovery Garden also hosts a holiday festival in December, offering children of all abilities the chance to experience the holiday spirit in a safe outdoor environment. In May, the Butterfly Festival transforms the garden into a family-friendly celebration of summer. “It’s a magical space where you can easily lose track of time. I see the power of art and nature connecting us to culture, health and well-being at play all the time,” Chakmak shares. “I’ve even seen a special needs, non-verbal preschooler go from climbing on the art pieces and hugging the steel root pieces to holding our hands and saying ‘art’ and ‘alpaca.’ That’s the best part of my job…spending time in the garden, interacting with kids and families around the art and seeing its transformative power!” Plans for harnessing this power include building another inclusion preschool next to the alpacas on the property and helping Rio, the macaw, learn to speak.

Proceeds from the “Earth to Sky” exhibit benefit children and families in Maui County through the work of Imua Family Services. Learn more about the therapeutic and educational experiences abounding at Imua Discovery Garden and opportunities to donate, fundraise and support the garden at Discoverimua.com. Learn more about Steve Tobin and his monumental sculptures and global public installations at Stevetobin.com.