Mark Somers and Melisa Hicks are a husband-and-wife ceramic artist team that has been collaborating since 1998. Originally from Colorado and Southern California, the couple moved to the Big Island in 2017.

Ocean Raku Pottery focuses on wheel-thrown, hand-built, and slip-cast forms. The pieces are then fired in an electric kiln, Raku fired or Naked Raku fired. Mostly self-taught, Mark and Melisa have exhibited works in Long Beach and Laguna Beach, California, and attribute their success to mentorship under more seasoned artists.

“To start with a ball of clay and turn it into unique art is a satisfying experience and, more importantly, if it inspires someone else it is very gratifying. We are inspired by the ocean, the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aloha Spirit, and through our art hope to bring awareness to the fragile ecosystems that we live in and inspire people to protect them.”