Artist Biography
Originally from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, Michael Poiarkoff is a multidisciplinary artist currently based in Stuyvesant Falls, New York. His creative journey began at Seton Hill University, where he studied studio art and creative writing, though he considers his evolution as an artist to be primarily self-taught and the result of repetitive practice and intense appreciation of his materials.
Poiarkoff’s work is deeply rooted in linework, patterns and textures. He works across various mediums, tending towards manual primacy and honoring the sanctity of “the long way”. Though he has had a celebrated professional culinary career, his personal artistic practice remains the essential pillar of his creative identity.
Artist Statement
My practice is an exercise in resistance, incorporating personal ritual and repetition that celebrates the antithesis of instant gratification. I am a proponent of meticulous craftsmanship, valuing the scars and nuances of a hand-wrought process in which modern convenience is not just ignored; it is actively rejected. My hope is that the cumulative energy of focused effort is felt by the viewer of my work, even if it isn't explicitly seen.
Whether I am working in wood, ink or found materials, I seek to create objects that demand a slower pace of observation—pieces that serve as physical evidence of labor, patience, and a deep, abiding respect for the medium. My work is an invitation to look closer, to honor the complexity of the handmade, and to find beauty in every form.
Gem Lettuce Salad, 2025 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker, pastel, colored pencil on lokta paper 25.5 x 35.5”
Galactic Sweaters, 2023 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on watercolor paper 20 x 26”
Unicorns and Rainbows, 2023 acrylic ink, pearlescent acrylic ink, paint pen, liquid chrome 21 x 32”
Pin Oak Leaf, 2023 Black ink, gel pen, pearlescent acrylic ink, acrylic paint marker on drawing paper 18 x 24”
Moth No. 1, 2023 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on homemade knotweed paper 14 x 16”
Large Doodle on Black, 2025 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 16” x 24”
Chrysalis, 2024 gel pen on lokta paper 15 x 20”
Travel Doodle, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 1, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 2, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 3, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 4, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 5, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 6, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 7, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 8, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 9, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 10, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Patchwork Doodle No. 10, 2024 gel pen, pearlescent ink, loose ink, felt tip marker on lokta paper 8.5 x 11”
Rapunzel, 2023 Gel pen, fine tip marker, pearlescent acrylic ink on watercolor paper 15 x 20”
Neon Doodles, 2023 Gel pen on mixed media paper 9 x 12” each
Cranberries, 2015 Ink on drawing paper 14 x 16.5”
Currents, 2017 Loose ink, india ink on drawing paper 15 x 11”
Daughter , 2017 Loose ink, india ink on drawing paper 11 x 15”
Beet, 2015 Black ink on watercolor paper 16 x 16”
Ballerina in Daisies, 2009 Loose ink, oil paint on watercolor paper 18 x 23.5”
Ballerina in Roses, 2009 Loose ink, oil paint on watercolor paper 16.5 x 21”
Ballerina in Daffodils, 2009 Loose ink, oil paint on watercolor paper 17.5 x 15”
Scoops, 2009 Loose ink on watercolor paper 16.5 x 23.5”