Born
in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jennifer Pochinski studied painting at the
University of Hawaii, graduating with a B.F.A. in 1991. In 2002
she returned to the University of Hawaii where she had the opportunity
to be taught by the American artist, Pia Stern, who had studied
with Elmer Bischoff.
This
exhibition included still lifes, abstract works, as well as recent
landscapes which were painted alla prima and plein-air in the area
towards Lake Marathon.
Artist's
Statement
Painting
is a way of life, it is a way of living and where I live. In the
two generalized schools of painting, I fall into the painterly category
rather than the linear. My paintings are not about the subject matter,
whether it be landscape, still life or figurative, they are about
paint, or the act of painting. My goal in the past twenty years
or so has been to paint from the gut, or 'with abandon'. I often
chose 'fugitive' supports such as paper or unstretched canvas, to
give me a sense of freedom and to emphasize that I am just painting,
rather than making paintings. Painting until the end result really
sings, rather than just carries a tune.
I
have been deeply influenced by well known American artists such
as Richard Diebenkorn, Selden Gile, Joan Mitchell and Philip Guston.
The summer after I graduated with my BFA in painting I lived in
London, where I spent a lot of time in the museums and galleries.
I kept interrogating my European heroes to help me get somewhere
in my own work, however I couldn¹t quite grasp what they were
trying to say to me. When I landed in New York and visited an exhibit
on the Bay Area figurative painters I felt at home.
Being
from Hawaii has also been a strong influence in my use of color.
It usually hits me when I get back there how much color there is!!
Landscape
I
paint in the classic plein-air and alla prima method. This means
I paint outdoors and work on a particular painting for no more than
two hours at a time. It is very exciting, almost suspenseful, to
paint in this tradition as there is so much to deal with: It is
almost always too hot, too cold, the wind blows over your canvas
and you have to hold it with one hand at all times. It rains, the
light changes, passers-by think you are weird etc., Also, you may
find a great view but you have to stand in the middle of the road
to do it, and even I don't have the guts to do that. I am always
dying to get out and start painting. If I can't for a few days,
I feel like I could kill someone if I don't get out there. Yet,
the minute I am all set up, it's a bit scary. It almost feels better
to 'have painted'! The whole process is truly fantastic.
Doing
all this in the countryside of Greece was an adventure. I discovered
a beautiful church and cemetery with about six graves right outside
my neighborhood, towards Lake Marathon. I have been living here
for five years and never knew this existed. The poppies blew my
mind this year! I felt so privileged to be able to experience the
spring in such an intensely personal way. It was great to focus
on the richness and abundance of nature, which sort of revolutionized
my life!
Still
lifes
My
process in choosing objects for still lifes is as follows: I open
up my cupboard and rummage, and go through my kid's drawers for
material. If the object becomes too subjective, out it goes... In
other words if I find myself rendering the object too much, too
conscious of what it is I wasn't painting, I was making a tea cup
or whatever the case may be.
Abstracts
These
are pure exercises of what happens when certain colors and textures
collide. It begins with a few marks, an opening, and what follows
is a conversation. I really try to let the paint speak and be just
an observer and finally a critic during the whole process. I avoid
the expected, predictable, and really try to dig very deep.
Jennifer
Pochinski
lived in Athens with her two young daughters. She now lives in the
United States. The 2008 show was her first one-woman show.
|
|
|