Ana Popescu

His arch < MY arch... meant for conviviality and introspection, tinged with an unsettling realness masquerading in an uncanny scale, draped in glittering iridescence… a thing that feels like a hug or a wink ;) A dismantling of the legacies of conquest and authority attached to ornate and monumental structures. Never forget the highly skilled artisans and craftspeople who spent hundreds of hours chiseling away at every molded acanthus or cartouche. Long overdue, but apropos timing — photos from our opening reception at OPEN in February. 🌹 Photos by @rachelmaevephotography ✨ Tăcut Ca O Cioară Vopsitǎ (Silent Like A Painted Crow), 2026 Ceramic, glaze, wood, venetian stucco, paper pulp, pigment, adhesive, auto flake, gold, silver and copper leaf, paint, fine and coarse grog, hardware, sketches and research, 11 loud speakers, spot lights An evolution of my thesis work, with new pieces and a site-specific sound composition by Christopher Mayes-Wright, continuing the story of The Arch and The Looking Glass: Umbli Cu Cioara Vopsită. 🏰🔊💎

This little baby is headed to the Annual Cup Show @mudflat_studios 💞🐚🦪☕️🦪🐚🌊 I’m so excited to be included alongside so many incredible makers in their historic and beautiful space. A true New England ceramics institution! Opening reception is Friday, March 13th from 5-7pm and the show runs through April 19th. ✨ 💙

Still teeming with energy from this night ✨ We had an incredible opening for our first collaborative installation. We met so many new friends and truly felt the love from the community. Huge thanks to Ben Sisto of OPEN for having us. What he’s building with the gallery feels so refreshing and pivotal at this moment in the art world. Big shout out to @michaelrosefineart of @newenglandartnews for collaborating on the reception with Drinks with Artists. We fell in love with PVD for it’s community, and seeing all the connections and crossovers bubbling is truly what makes it all worth it 🫂 And of course, the wonderful @hibarlobar made this freaky Friday the 13th @50simsri , right before Valentine’s Day, extra special 🍹🌹💌 Beautiful photos by @travislemire 📸 and incredible drawing of the night by @tomdamoreart 🖼️ Check out OpenForever.org for opening times and info 🌍 #studioapop #apop&bond

Today for New England Art News, I have an in depth conversation with wife-and-husband artists Ana Popescu and Chris Mayes-Wright. An exciting new show pairing her sculptural ceramics with his immersive sound work is coming to OPEN at 50 Sims. I’m stoked to be collaborating with them to host Drinks with Artists at their exhibition opening on February 13, 6-8pm. Join us to meet this talented pair! Read my profile on Ana and Chris at the link in my Instagram story or at , linked in my bio.

Next Week! The Arch gets to breathe new life. This time in an awesome space at OPEN @50simsri , and with a site-specific sound composition by @cal_green 🔊🏰🔊 Hope to see you there, on Friday the 13th of lovers weekend 💘👼🪽🐺🐦‍⬛❤️‍🔥 📸 2nd studio shot by @ebar.photo 3rd installation shot by @ol_eggart

Functional fine art? Yes please! Explore @studio_apop ’s incredible collection of trinket trays, exclusively at Bloom until the end of the month! Each piece is wildly unique and a true work of ceramic art.

Join me for Drinks with Artists Friday, February 13 from 6-8pm at OPEN at 50 Sims! We’ll be celebrating a new show featuring ceramic sculpture and sonic compositions by Ana Popescu and Chris Mayes-Wright. There will be cocktails from the great artist-owned Hir Bar Lo Bar. And plenty of interesting art people on hand to meet. These gatherings are such a fun way to build community among creative people. Please join us!!

Part 1 of my @risd_ceramics Residency is almost complete! Last year I was awarded the Graduate Ceramic Award at graduation (a serious “pinch me” moment), which included time and space to create in the field of Digital Ceramics with the @3dpotter 🌀 It’s been amazing to be back at work in the department, surrounded by inspiring students and faculty, and getting to work on some ideas that I didn’t have time for during the busy thesis / grad school hustle. I’m printing and building up ideas for now, and will return this summer to complete this body of work 🔥 🧱 ⚱️ … maybe some whacky multi-fire gloopy in-glaze lustres are on the horizon? 😏 Huge thanks to @lesley.art and @risd_ceramics for the continued support and home away from home 🏡 #studioapop #digitalceramics #3dpotter #3dpotterbot #ceramics

For this round of Highlights, we chatted with Ana Popescu, one of our talented ceramics instructor teaching the upcoming "Intro to Handbuilding: Hands in Clay", happening January 26! Q: What should students expect to learn in Hands in Clay? A: In Hands in Clay, students can expect to learn the core handbuilding techniques—pinch, coil, slab, and some simple mold-making—that form the foundation of working with clay. They’ll get to decide whether they want to make functional pieces, sculptural objects, or a mix of both, while also learning surface decoration and glazing. For those who want to push further, I’ll demo some more advanced processes like underglaze monoprinting, building up forms with paper slip, and making custom press or sprig molds. Q: What kind of things can you make with handbuilding techniques? A: With handbuilding, students can make a huge range of things—anything from everyday functional pieces like cups, bowls, planters, and trays to more sculptural, expressive forms. Pinch and coil techniques are great for organic shapes, vessels, and small objects; slab building can be used to create boxes, plates, architectural forms, or more structured designs. Simple mold-making opens the door to repeatable shapes, press-molded pieces, and decorative elements like sprigs. Handbuilding is really flexible, so whether someone wants to make practical objects for the home or experiment with abstract sculptures, there’s room for both. Q: What has been your favorite project that you have made? A: My favorite project has been my large-scale thesis work, The Arch and The Looking Glass. It let me bring together my Romanian heritage, my interest in architecture and ornament, and the immersive, DIY event work I used to create long before ceramics—work that still shapes how I think about storytelling and space. In building the Arch, I experimented heavily with materials and processes, combining multiple clay bodies, varied glazing and firing techniques, and digital tools like 3D printing and CNC carving to push the structure beyond what I’d done before. It’s the piece that most fully connects my past experiences to my current practice.

Retail Resident Feature: Ana with Studio A.Pop (@studio_apop ) feels like a meeting point between fine art, design, and material exploration! Her unmistakable identity comes from her love of ornament and playful reimagining of tradition. What a joy to have in the shop!

Still feeling energized after exhibiting at CODE & CRAFT in London last week! It was amazing meeting artists from so many creative backgrounds — art, design, sustainability and everything in between. London was absolutely buzzing with energy, making the whole event feel even more special. ✨ Huge thank you to @cluster__crafts and @valeria.del.vacchio for the invitation. Excited to see what’s next! 💫

It’s been a busy Fall 🌪️ 🌀 Archiving work before packing and prepping them for CODE & CRAFT @cluster__crafts in London next week! 🏭 Installing my new (old) kiln and all the fun trials and tribulations that that process brings :) 🐚 Making lots of new pieces for my upcoming residency @shopbloompvd ! — as part of their Winter Residency, my work will be on view and for sale December - February Lots more in the pipeline for this winter. Feeling very blessed to say the least. 🤝 ❣️ #studioapop 🪅