THE ARTIST formerly known as Michael Pucciarelli is ressurecting Pooch Island from dismantled rides, discarded icons, and forgotten Gods... Raised on a diet of Ray Harryhausen films, H. P. Lovecraft novels, comics, Walt Disney World and other Florida tourist traps, Pooch paints images that seem to exist in a bizarre afterlife. His art is a visual cocktail of these influences—with a shot of lowbrow culture—shaken and stirred, then served up in a souvenir tiki skull on the Day of the Dead. A self-taught artist, he owes much of his painting skills to over ten years of daily tattooing and drawing at his studio, Altered State Tattoo in Lake Worth Florida.
Working in different series allows Pooch the freedom to explore various cultural symbols, but also keeps him inspired to dig deeper into those respective subjects. His newest works reflect his constant exposure to Florida theme parks, where surreal carnival ride “facades” reflect the false fronts of modern society.