While attending the University of Michigan, my family would take weekend trips to Grand Rapids in Michigan to go to Max’s South Sea Arts, one of the biggest most detailed tiki bars in the midwest. It turns out the co-owner of Max’s is Mike Sourielle, or “Gecko”, a ceramicist and tiki carver 30 years in the business who currently lives in Makakilo Hawaii. Upon arrival, I ended up taking a tour of Gecko’z studio in Makakilo and he told us his story to becoming one of the most authentic, collected tiki mug and carving artists in the country and from here I began coming in weekly to help him with his work.

 

When Mike has an idea he wants painted in my style, he will give me his vision or we will collaborate on an idea and he will pass the piece off to me to add something fun and then take back to fire. Working in Gecko’z studio with him has been an incredible experience and we have been able to work on projects such as preparing his collection of tiki mugs for the world’s biggest annual tiki party and marketplace, Tiki Oasis in San Diego and custom painting furniture for his polynesian themed airbnb in Hawaii.

 

I also take Gecko’z ideas and put them on “paper” or do graphic work too, and have designed multiple shirts and artwork for Honolulu’s “Skull and Crown” and “La Mariana”, one new tiki bar, and one from the 50s- one of the last standing authentic tiki bars in the South Pacific. Gecko sells his shirts through personal inquiry, at Skull and Crown, and at La Mariana in person as they are handmade in small limited silk screen batches in Hawaii. You can inquire with Gecko on his Instagram here.

 

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