Mike is a world renowned artist and cultural icon from the Cook Islands. His contributions to Cook Islands art are immeasurable, and he is regarded in the highest esteem by the Pacific Island art community.

A self taught fabric, screen and block printer, Mike is also a poet, painter, tattoo artists, stone, wood and bone carver, author and social commentator. Mike has amassed a wealth of knowledge over the course of his career, and even possesses the rare ability to construct and complete a traditional, outrigger canoe within a single day.Read on below to learn more about his story...

Thinking back to his childhood, Mike has very fond memories of drawing patterns in the dirt after husking coconuts, and sketching on any scrap pieces of paper he could find.

“I can remember… carving my name on trees and carving what I think. I wanted to carve on whatever logs or trees were around. That’s the basic, elementary beginning of, I suppose, becoming an artist.”

He even recalls cooking on the open fires as a young boy, and utilising the leftover charcoal to draw on the wall space of his family’s cook house. “At this time I remember, clearly drawing Indians and cowboys. Mainly because the movies at that time were about cowboys and Indians.”

After completing his secondary education at Tereora College in Rarotonga, then Northland College in New Zealand, Mike went on to pursue a degree in Agriculture & Horticulture at Massey University.

Upon graduating, he was then employed in the Agriculture Department, working for the Cook Islands government. However, after some time, he decided to pursue his passion for art full time and began working on a number of different mediums.

Mike quickly realised that the different mediums available to art varies from paper to canvas, wood, stone, bone, even words, and that each required a different creative process.

“As Igrew up I tried to do other forms of art, and use other mediums. Because I get a lot of enjoyment from producing something from a basic piece of material… I wanted to do things bigger than myself.”

Over time as his curiosity for art deepened, so did his skillset as he taught himself how to navigate the different creative mediums. Building a name for himself in the Pacific art community along the way, he was commissioned to craft both individual works of art, and contribute pieces in grouped projects alongside other Pacific Island artists.

At 72 years old, Mike’s main desire now is to teach. His open-air gallery based in the backroads of Ruatonga in Rarotonga is also home to an art school.

Over the years he has taught a number of different art techniques for the varying mediums to people from all over the world. And while contemporary art is a component of his teachings, Mike places a heavy emphasis on traditional art; relating to the culture and traditions of Cook Islands people. He also teaches Te Reo Maori.

While he’s thrilled to have inspired artists to venture to the Cook Islands in order to spend time learning from him, Mike has claimed he wished there were more local artists on the scene.

Looking to the future, Mike’s dream is to build a national art gallery in Rarotonga where featured artworks belong not just to Cook Islands artists, but also foreign artists who have spent time working in a little paradise.

"The idea of the regular exhibition is to generate awareness, not only amongst local people but also the world in general. Whenever there’s an exhibition in the media, it’s put out into the world."

He hopes that by showcasing different local artists, their works and styles to the world, that interest levels will peak and traditional art will gain popularity, ultimately thrusting Cook Islands artists into the spotlight. Mike believes that by regularly showcasing these works in the public arena, that it will work hand in hand in preserving tradition and extending further into Cook Islands history.

Mike’s gallery is located in Rarotonga. All are welcome to stop in, say “Kia Orana”, view the various works featured in the gallery and of course, have a chat to Mike.