MFA Lecture

Two Cats in Real Life or Cattitude

Amerique Powell

Ribbon - 84” x 48” - oil on canvas - 2012

It was clear from the beginning that Amerique Powell’s lecture was going to be her own way.  With a huge smile on her face, she casually began her presentation as if talking to room of friends.  Her oversized paintings of cats is a loaded topic and not in a profound sort of way, but more in a YouTube video or crazy lady kind of way.  Powell was quick to address contemporary ideology of these felines with a run through of a history of cat paintings.  Powell was smart to take control of her content through an undeniably, serious association.  Immediately perceptions changed, although some of the content remained quite funny.

            Powell took her time taking art seriously, bouncing around through undergraduate majors.  Her carefree attitude quickly changed when she committed herself to earning a BFA.  A true lover of painting, Powell is inspired by color and pattern, but first and foremost color.  She began painting abstract grid patterns that evolved into plaid.  Obsessed with plaid, this pattern would continue to show up on her paintings and on her own body for quite some time.  With an attitude that more is more, nothing could be too busy for Powell’s paintings.  Before earning her BFA, she had experimented with incorporating a cat into an art piece.  Her professor was horrified so she moved on to other content, although secretly, she loved her painting.

            At UNR, working on her MFA, Powell continued to show interest in creating oversized paintings of pattern.  She was encouraged to add elements of realism.  The organized chaos of her work was elucidated by natural colors juxtaposed with candy-like colors, adding an element of hyper-realism.  At her MFA midway, Powell stepped back into the higher learning “uncomfort” zone of cats.  Although the pieces weren’t shunned, they weren’t well received either.  She needed to push it further and really make a statement…and did she ever! 

            Powell’s intuitive paintings grew larger in size, louder in color, unexpected in design, and forceful with energy.  Gift Wrap exposes a vortex of color, something Powell fantasizes about as a reality for her cats’ perception, wrapped around the sweet and silky qualities of her pet.   Tower is in your face, mixing Klimt style patterns with 80’s cartoon’s electrical play.  Powell truly exposes the dynamics of her inner world in an effortlessly, thrilling application.  Her world is as unique and whimsical as her paintings, and although the joke might be on the viewer, it’s with the very best intentions. 

Question:

You mentioned in the promotion for the show that your intention is to trick the viewer, can you elaborate on this?

Answer:

Trick is kind of a negative word, but I want to pull people in to like it even if they don’t want too.