FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM During the eighth annual Haleiwa Arts Festival, at Haleiwa Beach Park yesterday, Toro Garcia, left, Gladys Naone and Florence "Nana" Lindsey, members of Na Leo Nihi Nihi O Na Kupuna ("sweet voices of the grandparents") entertained.

Photographer’s art helps
ease family’s pain

Hauula resident Jon Mozo’s family
sees his life in his work

CORRECTION Wednesday, July 27, 2005 » Members of Na Leo Nahe Nahe O Na Kupuna entertained Sunday at the eighth annual Haleiwa Arts Festival. A photo caption on Page A3 of Monday's early edition incorrectly listed the group's name as Na Leo Nihi Nihi O Na Kupuna. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin strives to make its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, call Editor Frank Bridgewater at 529-4791 or email him at corrections@starbulletin.com.

As Nikki Mozo gazed at the mounted photos taken by her late husband, Jon, on display at the eighth annual Haleiwa Arts Festival yesterday, she could quickly recall when and where each was taken.

There was a photo of a golden sunset at Kalalau, Kauai, and another with dolphins that frolicked beneath the water's surface off Makua Beach. For Mozo the photos represented all those times she spent with her husband as he captured them on film.

"This is my life with Jon," she said about the photos displayed in a booth at the festival, held at Haleiwa Beach Park during the weekend. Hundreds of people visited booths featuring oil paintings, ceramics and jewelry.

Selling Jon Mozo's photos is one way for his family to cope with his death.

Mozo, 33, died at Kahuku Hospital in February after striking his head on a reef and drowning while taking surf photos off Ehukai Beach Park on the North Shore.

The Hauula resident did commercial, fashion, wedding and ocean photography, and while he excelled in all, his passion was taking photos of the ocean, family members said.

This weekend's festival marked the first time the family displayed Mozo's pieces since his death. His work is now solely available by order through his Web site.

"Everybody is so happy that they could see his work," Nikki Mozo said. "Jon lives on. A piece of his life is going into their homes to be inspired by."

She said her husband's photography reflects his soul and how he embraced life. "It's spiritual," she said.

Mozo said the festival was bittersweet. On one hand it helped ease her grief to continue her husband's work and share it with others, but at the same time, she wished he was alongside her.

"Jon is supposed to be with us," she said. "The absence of him is a big hole for us."

Jon Mozo's older brother, Allen, said displaying the photos at the festival was therapeutic.

"Jon's gone but he's alive this way," he said.

His brother put his soul and heart into his photography and would have been "stoked" to see the dozens of people purchasing his pieces, he said.

Mozo's passion for photography is now shared by two of his four children, Makana and Amber, Nikki said.

Kahala resident Zahava Czara purchased three of Mozo's photos.

"He captures the activity of nature," Czara said. "His instinct is matched with his passion."

Nikki Mozo said they are working on publishing a book to feature a compilation of her husband's photography. Those interested can go to www.jonmozo.com.