Jaclyn Poke
Q. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you became an artist?
A. I have always loved creating things, ever since I was
little. Art was my favourite school subject, and I would
look for opportunities to be in the art room during break times and after school. Once I finished high school, there was no doubt for me that I would study a bachelor of fine art and teaching. Art making is instinctive to me.
Q. What words best describe your way of painting?
A. Experiential, impressionistic, atmospheric and a
spiritual way of being.
Q. You live on the northwest coast of Tasmania, how
does that place inspire your work?
A. Everywhere I venture in Tasmania, there is an infinite source of inspiration; a continual gathering of ideas. I used to be mainly obsessed with waterways, particularly as we live right on the beach. However, since a visit to Cradle Mountain and a residency in the Blue Mountains, it has evolved into a tree and wilderness fascination. Where I live has a huge impact on my painting.
Q. How does your background in art therapy influence the way you make art?
A. I trained as an art therapist as I wanted to support others in finding their love of creativity and the inherently therapeutic nature of art. Art making has always been a place of comfort and reflection for me, and the benefits
on our mental health make it a powerful medium
for expression.
Q. What does “building layers of memory” mean to you in terms of capturing a landscape?
A. Growing up in Tasmania, I have gathered many memories captured in nature, which causes me to be quite sentimental about specific places. I like to build up layers of texture and pattern in my work, to try and reflect the deep connection I have to place.
Q. Can you explain how you use marks in your art to make that woven, tapestry-like texture?
A. I alternate between acrylic paint layers, tempera sticks and paint pens to build the image.
Q. Are there any artists or styles that have inspired
your work?
A. The French Impressionists, particularly Monet, has
been a constant love. I follow a lot of artists on social
media that work in abstractions of the landscape. The Fauvists, with their strong use of unnatural colour,
have also been a big influence.
Q. Your art evokes “horror vacui”, the fear of empty space. Why do you like to fill every part of the canvas?
A. I don’t know how to leave negative space on a canvas, it’s probably indicative of my brain that is whirring non-stop and over analysing everything. I do attempt to make some areas of the composition that are less busy than others, that’s my interpretation of negative space (haha).
Q. How do you use layers and texture to tell a story?
A. I like to think that the many layers evoke patterns I
see in nature, whether it be lines in bark, leaf veins, water ripples, or shell markings. Those various marks to me narrate a story of a particular landscape.
Q. Your colours are vivid and dreamy, what inspires you to choose this palette?
A. I love exaggerating the colours found in nature, like the Fauvists did. I want to evoke an emotional response to what the viewer sees.
Q. What’s one place you always return to for inspiration?
A. The Bay of Fires, east coast of Tas. If you visit there, you will know why!
Q. If your paintings had a soundtrack, what kind of music would be playing?
A. Easy listening acoustic folk is my fave. Calm, groovy and relaxing with meaningful lyrics.
Q. If you had to describe your art in one sentence, what would you say?
A. Spiritual landscapes that evoke a sense of being, which brings joy, calm and quiet to the soul.
