Today we’d like to introduce you to Ekaterina Popova.
Hi Ekaterina, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I pursued art from early on after moving to the US in 2001 when I was a teen. I fell in love with painting and knew there is nothing else I could imagine myself doing. However, in college, I had an opportunity to work in a student-run gallery, which planted seeds of entrepreneurship in me. I fell in love with hosting exhibitions and supporting the community and artists, and eventually, years later, it inspired me to start my own magazine, Create! Magazine. I never imagined being an entrepreneur, but because of my love of art and other creatives, I dedicated the past decade to learning how to start and grow a small online business. I’m still learning!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. My first job after graduating was working at IHOP and barely surviving. I was painting whenever I had time off and volunteering for an art blog and museums whenever possible to network. I faced so much rejection and silence and had to learn how to advocate for myself, my art, and my business once I started my first magazine. My first idea of marketing was going door to door to galleries in Philadelphia and NYC and introducing myself. Talk about awkward! But I did it, and it helped me grow confidence and believe in my vision.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a painter. I love depicting cozy and romantic scenes of daily life, interiors, nature, and still lifes. I explore themes of home and belonging in my paintings. I would say I’m most known for my bedroom paintings, but I have also explored other subjects over the years. I am particularly drawn to texture, color, and oil paint, and my work focuses more on mood and expression rather than realism.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katerinapopova.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/katerinaspopova
Image Credits
Helena Raju
Ekaterina Popova
