Meet Tara Ruggerio-Popov

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tara Ruggerio-Popov and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tara, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I grew up in a very creative household. My father is a contractor who would redesign homes that were basically falling down and make them into show pieces. My mother was a dancer and dance instructor with her own successful dancing school. I took art lessons, and danced for as long as I can remember and just felt like I fit in as a creative. I don’t remember not knowing the theory of color and the color wheel.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have many years of working in the beauty industry. I started my professional artistic practice very young in Philadelphia at The Art Institute of Philadelphia. During my years at art school, I knew I would continue on to Los Angeles as I craved the warmer weather and opportunities continued to present themselves in California. Working as a hair and makeup artist on various sets in the city allowed me to grow in my art, and meet people that would be life-long friends. I have nothing but gratitude for that time in my life.
As I grew older and eventually had a family, I became very interested in photography. What started as a hobby quickly transformed into a passion. I educated myself on different types of cameras and mediums. I’ve improved vastly from when I first started, and I’ve recently started selling my work to various stock-image companies.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We are going to Hermosa Beach for the lighthouse cafe directly on the pier! It’s one of my favorite spots. The restaurant has been around since 1949 and has such a classic feel accompanied by some great beach food and good vibes. The perfect ending to an evening is walking the strand and checking out some killer sunset views. I try to see the sunset every single day. I promise you, Southern California sunsets are like no other.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would love to dedicate this Shoutout to my family. I have a large Italian family scattered all around the East coast and they collectively inspire me to stay creative and to never hide away from my authentic self. Even though they all have their own lives and we don’t get to see each other as much as we’d like, My family is what keeps me working hard as they offer me valuable feedback on my pieces from no matter where they are in the world.

Screenshot

Instagram: Tara Ruggerio-Popov

Other: Shutterstock:Tara California Getty Images: Tara Ruggerio-Popov IMDb: Tara Ruggerio-Popov

Image Credits
Tara Ruggerio-Popov