I use stereotypical images of America to explore our past and present perceptions of ourselves and others, as well as our social identity. Just as our minds retain layers of ideas, feelings, and images—however vague or distorted—my paintings, whether imagistic or abstract, are textural, built up in layers over time. The superimposition of appropriated images, collage, words, and paint creates a surface that reveals the memory of preexisting stages.

Continuing my exploration of painting, these works depict existing artworks layered and recontexualized through museum display. My paintings exist in a state of artistic purgatory. Purgatory not in the sense of suffering or punishment, but as a perpetual state of a physical and conceptual in-between. My works are positioned between the practice of slow, purely handmade painting while mimicking the instant image capture of photography. I am interested in the manner in which contemporary culture consumes images. There is a profound difference between

I am an artist. I draw, paint, print, sculpt, find and assemble my work. I am a realist, however, I am not interested in the simple reproduction of an image. I am interested in a realism that goes beyond pictorial reality and recognizes a broader and deeper understanding of what ‘real’ means. In this realism, feelings, ideas, and emotions are as tangible as an apple or a face. Though I make images, I am not a camera.

My studio practice focuses on an interest in taxidermy, natural history dioramas, and anachronistic museum displays. This series was initially inspired by the dioramas in the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where as a youngster I spent many hours, awestruck. Through those iconic dioramas I was introduced to landscape painting, sculpture, and installation long before I knew what any of it meant or that I was destined to become an artist. Other aspects of the work are inspired by memories of visiting my grandfather’s live poultry store in

Ropp is continuing her investigation of the sex of color.

Since moving to north Florida in 1985, I have been taken with the uniqueness of the regions environment, and the beauty of its lands and animals.† While both land and animals are vulnerable, they share a strong determination for survival and still offer potential dangers for the unwary visitor.† With my Southern landscape paintings I think about ideas concerning ; myths and facts, good and evil, life and death, human versus nature.