The Catapult Creative House Student Studios Artist of the Month series continues its 2018-2019 season with Built Up: An Individuals Examination of Home featuring the work of Southeast Missouri State University art major Erin Gericke.An exhibition reception, celebrating the work of Gericke, a junior from West Paducah, Kentucky, is scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Oct. 5 as part of Cape Girardeaus First Friday downtown arts events. The watercolors exhibition is currently on display with the closing reception scheduled for Oct. 5 on the second floor of Catapult Creative House, 612 Broadway in downtown Cape Girardeau.The ubiquitous-and yet evermore temporal-concrete and steel structures that surround society, and represent contemporary cityscapes, are an integral component of peoples lives. From the intimate single roomed domicile to the megalopolis, cities are the sum of their parts, most importantly the inhabitants. In Built Up: An Individuals Examination of Home, Gericke explores the nature of peoples relationship to the more expansive notion of home; and in the current anthropocentric environment where people routinely find themselves houseless, Gericke stresses the affect architectural surroundings have on decisions, memories and ultimately peoples lives.
Each month and as a part of a program to promote community-based and integrated art making, a student artist is chosen to exhibit his or her work at Catapult Creative Houses Student Studio Gallery. These exhibitions showcase a range of work from individual artists that highlights their personal and professional artistic explorations as a part of the Southeast Missouri art community. These artists explore the physicality of the human condition, its relationship to nature and the role of art in contemporary society. In addition to the exhibition, attendees are welcome to tour the studio spaces, view ongoing projects and engage with the artists.In connection with the exhibition reception, the Catapult Creative House Student Studio artists and Catapult jewelry artists will present their Studio Pop-Up Shop on Oct. 5. The Pop-Up retail space will present the opportunity for visitors to purchase one-of-a-kind holiday gifts, including handcrafted jewelry, cards and wearables, as well as ceramics and prints, all created by the participating artists.