Erica Popp Gallery was one of my favorite projects with assistance from John Q. Do. The artists we had the pleasure of working with are incredible, and we are so happy to see them continue to make amazing work and grow their careers. We were saddened to need to close the gallery during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic. We hope to take on another similar project in the future.
2019 Exhibiting Artists
Dani Sposato
Dani Sposato draws inspiration for her designs from nature and, more specifically, the four elements. With each cut out piece, she attempts to translate what she sees in the world around her. She also goes on frequent hikes in the woods to gain fresh ideas. Dani studied ceramics at Fontbonne University.
Her exhibitions at Erica Popp Studios + Gallery are pop-up shop style. You can touch the art and take it home the same day. The next pop-up will be Friday, September 27, 2019, 5pm-8pm.
Suzy Farren
Artist Suzy Farren approaches her work with vigor and openness, never knowing how a piece will turn out. The process is organic, intuitive and physical, always a work of the hands. Stitches, marks and fragments of cloth and paper are recurring components in her art, and she frequently find myself writing the words to a poem by her father. The words are impossible to read because they are deeply personal, not meant for consumption. Yet their presence is a tie to another time, another place. Her solo exhibition, “Threadbare,” will include small sculptural work in addition to wall-hung textile work. This exhibition is part of Innovations in Textiles 2019.
“Threadbare” opens on Saturday, October 5, 4pm-7pm.
Rachel Youn
“Bounty” is an exhibition that includes faux fruit and other replicas that are often used to present a veneer of wealth. Artist Rachel Youn removes these items from their original context of suburban homes and home furnishing stores, collapsing notions of authenticity and artifice.
https://rachelyoun.com
Dail Chambers
“Migration Stories” is an exhibition of new work by artist Dail Chambers. The work is a study of migration through the mind, currency and cultural remnants. The work explores multiple aesthetics, yet uses polyrhythm as a visual reference for movement. The simple works tell a long narrative of ancient and contemporary humanity.
Mee Jey
“Dadi” is Mee Jey’s first solo exhibition in the United States. The word "Dadi" means "grandmother" in Hindi. Reflecting on her grandmother’s stories, artist Mee Jey has found that her lessons about the entwining of art and life are similar to those of avant-garde movements such as Dada. Jey traces her philosophical and creative lineage through her grandmother and draws heavily from Dada in her multidisciplinary practice.
This exhibition is a complex installation made of 100 hand-made dolls that surround an eight-sided figure connected with three larger than life fabric "hair falls," which also serve as a backdrop to the work. Along with story-telling, Jey's grandmother taught her how to transform discards into art. To honor this, she has used only recycled materials to create this work.
Artist talk and closing reception with Mee Jey will be held on Sunday, September 22 at 11am. Art historian Tola Porter will also speak about the work, providing context for Mee Jey’s work within the history of textile art.
This exhibition is part of Innovations in Textiles 2019.
Emily Elhoffer
"In the Flesh", a solo show by Emily Elhoffer, explores superficial and dynamic relationship between body and mind through a series of wall relief sculptures. Elhoffer engages with the body as an extension of identity, and investigates its systems as metaphors for psychological experiences.
Tiffany Sutton
“Suttons in Technicolor” celebrates artist Tiffany Sutton’s undergraduate photographic work complete during her time as a student at Washington University before taking medical leave. This work celebrates her family life with her parents and showcases her creative process. The images are presented as contact sheets, scanned and printed large. Sutton shoots with medium format color film and has intentionally left the images in their raw non-color-corrected state. These give the images a sense of time and place not typically seen in the world of photography. Some images are too dark or too yellow, showing the nature of film photography, and giving the viewer a glimpse into the photographer’s process of selecting images for final prints.
https://www.tiffjtiffsutton.com/
2018 Exhibiting Artists
Shabez Jamal
"A Free Space Between Intersections," celebrates queer Black men at the intersection of race and equality, contrasted against the backdrop of desertion and abandonment. The vibrant photographs are a means to claim space in the discussion about equality and bring Black queer bodies into open spaces. Select works on view in the Studio.
Kyle Brandt-Lubart
"Invasive Species"
In a world filled with hostile environments what does it mean to feel healthy and whole? Artist Kyle Brandt-Lubart explores this theme through the creation of her assemblage sculptures which are informed by her professional work in community mental health.
Elizabeth M. Willey
History, folk tales, fairy tales, and mythology are the core inspirations for the series "Into Gold." Artist Elizabeth M. Willey layers complex patterns with iconic images from folk and fairy tales, in her mixed media encaustic work, blending familiar and obscure narratives into one-of-a-kind art pieces. The results are deliciously magical interpretations of favorite stories and curious imagery of stories unknown.
https://elizabethmwilley.wordpress.com/category/elizabeth-m-willey-fine-arts-llc/
Amber Gregory
"Separate / Illuminate" is comprised of mixed media work as an exploration of loss and resiliency. Gregory’s abstracted images of the natural world are are cut up and hand-stitched back together. The hand-stitched repairs in black linen are highlighted with gold thread, a nod to the Japanese art of Kintsugi. Her imagery and color pallet are reminiscent of Pacific Northwest Landscapes and speak to feelings of separation and sadness, but also of healing and hope. Select work remains on view in the Studio.
http://www.amber-gregory.com/
Alexander Hollingsworth
Photographer Alexander Hollingsworth has an incredible passion for photography. In "Countenance," he celebrates the beauty and grace of black women in gorgeous dramatic lighting.
https://xportphotos.com/