The work on this web-site represents the artist, Joe Cooke. Joe and this web site are about achievement of identity, and ultimately of relationships, through self expression. The understanding of identity empowers relationships, allows meaning. This is the driving force behind the paintings.

Joe's creative process recognizes the primacy of the internal voice. Joe made a vow that no painting would be a lie; not one brush stroke. He will not impose his will on the sub-conscious, even if he does not understand the logic of the instruction from the sub-conscious. In some way, Joe's process is merely an instrument of the sub-conscious.

It seems as though the paintings paint themselves. The painter begins with a structure, or with a colour, or with some yang action. The sub-conscious takes over at some point in time, and instructs the painter. (this might be even before the painter sits at the paper or canvas.) The sub-conscious drives every aspect of the painting, including what is done with structure, colours, texture and media. Each painting has a life of its own. And each painting knows when it is done. Absence of this knowledge implies incompleteness.

The cycle completes itself when the viewer communicates the meaning back to the painter. The viewer sees the image from the sub-conscious, and presents his or her observations back to the painter. For Joe, this increase in awareness is like cool water to a plant, and fulfills the initial drive.