Painting Intimacy and Life with Katarina Popova

While we love Katerina Popova’s work for many reasons— one thing that stood out to us the most is her way she captures the intimate details of peoples lives: their space, their home. It’s comforting, familiar and nostalgic. There are many layers to Katerina that make her stand out from the traditional Artist crowd. Both her podcast “Art & Cocktails” and her new women-focused mentorship program are just a few of the things that share her light with others to create a more vibrant and inclusive community of creatives we admire.

Your work is obviously very personal; you paint very intimate settings and details of lives. What initially interested you to explore this specific route?

Initially, I started painting memories of my childhood home, places where I grew up. I was still transitioning from moving to the US from Russia and used art as a way to heal and cope with this change. At one point, I ran out of reference materials and started to look for inspiration in the world around me. I began to find my spaces and the homes of my friends just as emotionally impactful and inspiring. My work is evolving in correspondence to my healing. There were seasons of my life where I didn’t feel safe to be vulnerable and open about my human experiences. The imagery is moving from genera to specific, becoming more intimate over time. Sometimes I shrink back and get scared of this exploration, but continue to push myself to open up to myself and my viewers.

A lot of your early pieces are quite melancholic compared to what you create nowadays. Your color palettes have changed a lot! Is there a specific reason behind this? Or has this just happened naturally as you were establishing your style?

The early work was based on memories of Russia, experiences, and moods that I would associate with that particular period of my life. I was also lost in terms of my identity and was going through a darker time internally. Working through trauma, healing, and allowing myself to explore joy, beauty, color has been a part of this unraveling. So far, there have been sort of two extremes: the deep dark emotional aspect, the more flowery, cheerful, colorful work. Next, I aim to go even deeper and combine the two to share even more about myself and my world in a more holistic way.

What are some of your favorite memories so far as an artist? Any particular moment or exhibition that really stuck with you?

My favorite moment was taking complete responsibility for my life and art career. I had to overcome a lot of fear and insecurities when it comes to owning who I am. There was a moment where I truly believed in myself enough to start my own art business, build a community, use my voice beyond painting and step out into the light. This was in 2016. I had a lot of support, but believing in myself was my favorite experience so far. It enabled me to leave my day job, sell work even before I got signed by my gallery, and feel more fulfilled in my everyday life. Giving myself permission to be whoever I wanted to was the best experience! My dream studio in Philadelphia is a miracle. I painted the walls pink and still pinch myself when I go there! I also loved being a guest on the Jealous Curator Podcast, exhibiting in New York, traveling to artist residencies in Iceland, Greece, and France.

Your podcast is amazing! What made you want to start Art & Cocktails? How has it been so far running and curating this aspect of a business for you?

I got the title “Art & Cocktails” long before I even knew I was going to have a podcast. I love the idea of having conversations with like-minded people, bonding over everyday struggles, celebrating the fun side of things, and sharing tips with others. I listened to a lot of podcasts at one point and decided to start my own. It has been a fulfilling experience, and I practically get to chat with my heroes every week. I also feel responsible for bringing these incredible stories to my community and share educational resources with them. It’s a huge time commitment, but I have found a way to navigate it, and so far, this year, the show has had a consistent weekly episode.

Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years from now?

I just founded a mentorship program, “The Art Queens” for women artists and artpreneurs. This new venture has me dreaming of retreats, conferences, and masterminds with this group of women. After everything I’ve been through, I feel responsible for offering support to women creatives. I see myself making tons of paintings, exhibiting them, supporting other artists, and writing with my coffee in the mornings.
What more could I ask for?