I have tried to re-vamp my website. ericapopp.googlepages.com. I don't have much of a clue when it comes to web design or that sort of technology so I think it looks pretty good for my limited skills. Let me know what you think and perhaps you can give me some tips.

Tiny, Tidy Studio

Lately I have been frustrated by not having proper studio space to work in. I feel this is a problem that emerges often. When my space is less than ideal I try to think of Henry Darger, who made amazing things in his one-room apartment. His space was tiny and served as his bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and, of course, art studio. If he could make that enormous book of brilliant paintings and collages at his tiny kitchen table, surely I can do the same, right? Can’t I live and work in the same space? I feel like having that skill is important.


What I really need to do is clean. I haven’t really settled into my living quarters this summer. I thought I would have more space and consequently brought more things with me from school than were really necessary. In the past year I have realized that I just feel like I can’t get anything done when my space is in disarray. It doesn’t matter what it is. If I want to make some art, I have to clean and organize my studio first. I’ll be sure that my pottery tools need a good cleaning, that my paint should be organized and that my brushes ought to be conditioned and then placed in an aesthetically-pleasing arrangement. If I need to write a paper I must first clear absolutely everything off my desk and then stack the books and other reference material I’ve gathered in such a way that it looks like I must be very intelligent and studious. Once my desk shows evidence that I’ve been working on the paper for hours I can actually start it.

Do other people have this problem? More importantly, do other artists have this problem? I have become much more of a neat-freak than any other artist I know, than any other person I know. Well, except for maybe my winter-quarter roommate. Jessica is pretty darn tidy. And she’s a poet. I blame her for making me think that super-tidiness is normal.

Image is of Darger's room and is from www.daylife.com/photo/00e9fES63aeQT

Upcoming Show in Alton

This November I will be showing with the Women's Caucus for Art in their alternative space at Spirits Lounge in Alton, IL, located at 300 State Street. I will be showing with artist Heidi Fox. The show will be up from Wednesday, November 19 - Saturday, January 20. The WCA girls night out will be Thursday, November 20th at 6:30pm.

The work being shown will be some of my alternative process photography. I've been looking at it for a long time and sometimes I feel like everyone should have else should have seen it by now too, but why would you have? It's spent most of it's short life in Kansas City and Indianapolis. I haven't shown it in St. Louis yet, aside from the four prints that are hanging in the Town & Country Starbucks. You can stop by there for a sneak peek and get a delicious latte while you're at it. Otherwise, I'll hope to see you at Spirits in November.

Spirits Lounge
300 State Street
Alton, IL 62002

Starbucks
13448 Clayton Road
Town & Country, MO 63131

New paintings

I have been playing with mixed-media as I create some fun little paintings. They are very small, only about 6x6". When I was making them I was thinking about women's roles in society and how we accept or reject them and how some of the many societal ideals we face can make us feel.

First blog

Well, this is my very first blogspot blog. I often blog about my life and about silly things on MySpace but I thought it would be appropriate to create a blog that's more about my art than about my summer workout goals and the gross old men that hit on me at work. So, welcome. I hope you enjoy the text and images to come.