Artist Statement
I take a subterranean approach to my art. By that, I mean I walk into the dark without an intellectual flashlight to guide me. What comes out is often contradictory. A soft, somewhat monochromatic palette (colors are starting to invade lately), a decorative look, but with psychic wounds peering through. Sometimes the wounds are personal, sometimes they are observational.
My paintings represent a transformative process; I start with drips of color and large swatches of bold tones scrawled over with statements that reflect my current emotional and intellectual state. Often it’s an angry me, disturbed by injustice, violence and fear. But eventually, as I continue working on the canvas, I find a way to integrate that 'angry me' with the rest of me…the more balanced me that seeks harmony in domestic objects - like vases, glasses or floral distractions - that remind us of the essential beauty of the world around us. Like the objects I draw, my paintings are “pretty” vessels that still contain, both literally and figuratively, the raw emotions present at the start of my creative journey.
Bio
Born and raised in Paris, France, Pouké grew up surrounded by a love of art. As a young teen she began making intricate ink drawings. When she came to the US in her 20’s, Pouké began studying photography and video production. The result was a series of (sometimes controversial) mixed media paintings, which explored the female condition . Her “pink period”, a mixed media piece composed of used tampons caused a bit of media stir. She also made an award winning documentary based on her experiences as an artist in residence at the San Bruno County Jail. More recently, she has returned to paintings, drawings, and watercolors, with some inroads into textile and ceramic designs. The current art is a result of a long process of combining her varied interests: the whimsy and graphic design of her drawings, the emotion of her deeper personal explorations, and her love of beauty for its own sake.