Interview with PUCKY
I’ve had the opportunity to meet Hong Kong based artist/illustrator "Pucky" in person at the recent Illustration Arts Fest (thanks to an introduction by Michael Ng), and have been wanting to find out more about her - as an artist and her art - and on the eve of her tenure at Toy Soul 2016 (Dec 16-18), permit me to introduce to you folks, PUCKY!
TOYSREVIL: What inspires you? Who inspires your art?
PUCKY: ”Chagall, The Bauhaus Theatre, Sergey- Tyukanov, Dali, Nara, Manga, Anime, Films, Fairy Tales, Colors, Stories, LOVE, Songs, Lyrics, Joy, Religion, Science, Nature, Heart Breaks, Spirituality”
TOYSREVIL: What was the genesis for the carnival themed art? How did it evolve from your folk-art Harlequin-sque style seen in both earlier and current works?
Your fantasy landscapes and scenes are as well intriguing. I would assume both are different worlds? Or so they reside in the same universe?
PUCKY: ”I have always been in love with the circus/carnivals since at a very young age. I hated school and I would sit in class and imagine I was in circus or carnival setting, with elephants and monkeys running around…it was my little escape from my boring reality. When I create within the carnival theme, it’s also my little happy escape where I can just simply express a colourful world full of happiness, whereas I would integrate more of my dark side and deeper messages into my other works.
I would say they don’t belong in the same world…as I often use my fantasy landscapes to depict my internal world, it’s often contrasted by lust and desire and spirituality, the ongoing human struggle … ”
TOYSREVIL: I can only imagine seeing your character pieces once 2 dimensional now turned into 3 dimensional collectibles! How did that happen, and what are your impressions of them?
PUCKY: ”A few years ago, my master Kenny Wong encouraged me to transform my work into figures. At the time I didn’t think I could; I was good at drawing but I was very bad with crafts and 3D work. So he taught me from scratch and it turns out I’m not so bad at it after all and I fell in love with making sculptures! I was also lucky enough to have met Howard from How2work, who have been great help in producing my figures, and also Leo from Unbox Industries who introduced me into the Vinyl Toys world.”
[ Puck in Singapore for the inaugural Illustration Art Festival ]
TOYSREVIL: I like that you’d hand-paint the faces on your figures yourself Is there any reason for this? You enjoy the craft? You want the control in your hands?
PUCKY: ”“Eyes are the window to the soul” as they say.”
TOYSREVIL: Can we look forward to more of your Pookie Circus and Space Clown anytime soon?
PUCKY: ”Yes! At Hong Kong Toy Soul! A Xmas version (50 pcs limited) just came out for POOKIE and a second version for the Space Clown (STARS Edition, 25 limited pcs all hand painted by myself). My POOKIE products are also available in store and K+ in Singapore.”
TOYSREVIL: Share with us pease, “WHO IS PUCKY”?
PUCKY: ”Just speck of beautiful star dust in this beautiful Universe.”
(Pucky's Booth at Toy Soul 2016!)
Stay connected to her www.hellopucky.com / facebook.com/puckyart / Instagram @puckyart.
