At Wings Hawaii, “for real life mermaids” isn’t just our tagline, it’s our whoooole actual lifestyle. Take Tara Timpone, for example, our assistant jeweler and in-house photographer. When we asked what a real-life mermaid means to her, Tara replied: “Someone who loves and appreciates the ocean, and cares about preserving and protecting it, and all the creatures that call it home.”
Tara’s gorgeous underwater photography is what inspired our Whale Dance collection, with designs based on her images illustrated onto water bottles, pullover sweaters, hoodies, women’s and men’s tees, and fun accessories like patches, pins, keychains, and stickers.
Beyond the beautiful images and cute merch, it’s Tara’s passion for the humpback whales and real-life interactions that truly inspire us. She recalls, “My most memorable encounter was when we came across a juvenile male humpback that was extremely playful and interactive, and he swam and danced around us for over an hour. Their spatial awareness in the water is incredible; the way he moved around us was so careful and precise for such a large animal. And looking into his eyes was one of the most magical experiences of my life – there’s just so much intelligence and sentience there. This level of interaction is rare, so I feel incredibly grateful to have experienced it.”
For anyone seeking to try this for themselves, Tara notes that it’s always important to go out with licensed tour companies that are knowledgeable and respectful of the whales. She adds, “The whales have come to the tropics from the poles, which takes a huge amount of energy, and they don’t eat while in the tropics. They won’t eat again until they go back at the end of the season. The whales, especially moms with babies, should never be chased or harassed. It should be the whales who choose if they want to interact with you or not. Passive observation is the best; interactions should never be forced; it will never be as meaningful that way anyway.”
Check out Tara’s amazing work and adventures on Instagram at @tarashay_
Read on for a few more fun tidbits on Tara:
Tara Timpone
Jeweler Assistant/Photographer
Astrological sign: Cancer
Birthstone: Alexandrite
Years working with Wings: 8
Yearbook quote: “All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.” – Gandalf
Favorite gemstone: Anything that’s a pretty blue/green ocean color - paraiba tourmaline is one, because the ocean is my happy place
Hobbies: Freediving, underwater photography, longboarding in the summer, kayaking, hiking. Traveling around the world to freedive with different animals. I do my own photography before/after work and on the weekends- maternity/couples/family/weddings/etc.
Random fun fact: I have an identical twin sister who has identical twin daughters.
Favorite place on Maui: Hamoa Beach. The water is crystal clear and my favorite color, and the waves are fun to play in.
Pets: We adopted our fur baby, Arwen, as a puppy from the Humane Society here 8 years ago. She’s a Catahoula mix, and my constant companion who comes to work with me every day since she’s gotten older. She spends most the day napping in different spots, or begging for snacks from the girls.
IG: @tarashay_
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