Art by Poppet
My work captures moments of strength, vulnerability and timeless presence.
the artist
Joanne Real
I am a self taught contemporary figurative artist, using pop-influenced imagery and cinematic stillness to process my own experiences. My paintings are shaped by moments of introspection and emotional intensity, exploring identity, femininity, and the quiet strength that comes from pausing rather than pushing. I am drawn to faces that hold unspoken feeling and to images that feel suspended in time, influenced by classic Hollywood, modern iconography, and real life. Animals enter my work intuitively, often reflecting instinct, protection, or vulnerability. Each piece is created as a personal statement, meant to connect deeply and exist with calm authority in curated spaces. I sign my work as Poppet.
the
story
Poppet
In March 2025, I lost my father. Around the same time, my daughter was diagnosed with cancer. It was a period that brought everything into sharp focus. Long before that, in 2006, I had also lived through a trauma that quietly reshaped me.
For much of my life, I learned to keep going. But in the midst of grief and uncertainty, I found myself searching for stillness rather than survival.
In May 2025, I began painting.
It wasn’t planned. It was instinctive, a way to slow down and sit with feeling rather than push it away. What began as grounding gradually became expression.
I have no formal training. I simply began, and the work unfolded in its own way. Through figurative imagery and symbolic presence, I found a way to explore emotion, memory and resilience.
I work under the name Poppet, a childhood nickname given to me by my nan, a reminder that softness and strength can exist together.
What started as a way to process life became a practice, and then a body of work I am proud to stand behind.
