Sculpture, animals, totems, people, whimsical, Colorado, Arizona, art, works, gallery

Artist Statement

Nature never fails to impress us. We have an innate connection to it and thoughts of its many life forms embalm our memories and touch our souls. Most of us are drawn to capricious critters with whimsical personae that exude wonder or a sense of mystery. "My work reflects the passion I feel for nature and the respect I hold for its power. There is a serious and a whimsical dimension to everything. I look for the underlying joy to add a whimsical dimension. My life mantra is that there is an underlying joy that exists everywhere and life needs to be celebrated. I agree with the Dali Lama who says that hate is a draining emotion and love adds to strength. My works imbue the potency of goodness fused with a curious sense of mischievousness". ©2006

About Pokey Park

Pokey Park (Marie Whittle-Webb Park) was born and spent her formative years in Coastal Georgia. Pokey's earliest memories are the play of light and shadow in the live oak forest, the designs in driftwood and shells, the patterns created by wind and tide, the dance of wild animals, the flight of birds, and the force of storms. Those early impressions have greatly influenced her art and life.

Pokey spent 33 years in the Pennsylvania countryside and the Massachusetts Coast, sailing waters from Chesapeake Bay to Nova Scotia all the while studying plants and wildlife, drawing and creating sculptures from those images. She has traveled the far reaches of the earth and loves most to embrace things that radiate honesty, kindness, and openness. As a transformer of energy, Pokey captures the essence of life forces in her bronze sculptures.

She has a BFA from the University o Georgia where she first experimented with bronze casting under Leonard DeLonga. She also works in clay, wood and stone. Pokey taught art to both adults and children when she lived in the East. She now divides her time between Tucson, Arizona and Ridgway, Colorado. Her work ranges in scale from a few inches to more than ten feet and has been enlarged or downsized for site specific commissions. Pokey has public installations in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and her work is in private collections across the United States. The Jane Hamilton Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, the Ago Gallery in Ouray, Colorado, Lumina Gallery in Taos, New Mexico, The Karen Newby Gallery in Tubac, Arizona, and the Aspen Artist's Co-op in Aspen Highlands, Colorado presently represent her. She belongs to The international Sculpture Center, The National Museum of Women in the Arts, and the Washington Sculpture Group. Pokey has also been juried into the National Assosiation of Women Artists.

Exhibits

Pokey Park's work is currently being exhibited at:

The Ago Gallery, Ouray, Colorado

Jane Hamilton Fine Art, Tucson,

Arizona The Aspen Artist's Co-op, Aspen Highlands, Colorado

Lumina Contemporary Fine Art, Taos, New Mexico

Karin Newby Gallery, Tubac, Arizona

Current and Upcoming Exhibits Sculptures in the Streets VIII, Mesa Arizona beginning on November 4, 2006 through April 6, 2007 For information call 480-890-2613 The San Antonio Gateway Public Sculpture Competition from April 7, 2007 through April 27, 2008. For information call 210-696-9813. Sculptor's Dominion Invitational, San Antonio Texas, beginning on April 7, 2007 through April 2008. For information call 210-696-9813. Avenues of Art - 2006, Gillette, Wyoming beginning on June 24, 2006 through June, 2007. For information call 307-686-5203. Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum, Hamilton Ohio, July 2006 - November, 2007 For information call 513-868-1234. Lumina Gallery Opening, Taos, New Mexico, November, 2006. For information call 505-758-7282

Pokey Park's work also appears in the recently published book the Guild Sourcebook of Architectural and Interior Art 21. Pokey Park's work has previously been exhibited at: Annual Southeastern Sculpture Competition, Aiken County Historical Museum - 2006. Pokey was awarded second place for "Midnight Serenade". Loveland Sculpture Invitational, Loveland, Colorado, 2005 and 2006. For information about the Invitational in 2007 call 970-663-7467. Boy's Youth Club, Athens, Georgia Island art Center, Saint Simons Island, Georgia Summer Art Exhibit, Nonquitt, Massachusetts Women's club of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Riverbend, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania Ridgway Library Benefit, Ridgway, Colorado American Society of Landscape Architects Convention, Ft. Lauderdale Florida

Pokey Park's work is installed at the following public places: Apponagansett Vineyards, South Dartmouth, Massachusetts - BULL 'S HEAD , marble Freedom Valley Bank, Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania - FREEDOM RIDER ,bronze powder and polymer Chanticleer Gardens, Wayne, Pennsylvania - RACOON WITH FISH No. 1 *, limestone Chanticleer Gardens, Wayne, Pennsylvania - RACOON WITH FISH No. 2 *, limestone Pokey Park's work is in private collections in the following states: Georgia, Tennessee, Colorado, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., California, New York, Vermont, Oregon, Florida, and Massachusets. *Co-operative commission with Lynn Claytor

Contact

Pokey (Marie) Park
pokeyparkstudios at yahoo dot com (wrtten out to avoid spam bots)
6396 North Desert Wind Circle
Tucson, Arizona

Winter 520.529.6435 Arizona
Summer 970.626.4433 Colorado