Meet Anna Shipulina | Ceramic artist and sculptor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Shipulina and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
That’s a great question! An artistic career found me in my pursuit of self-discovery after immigration, motherhood, and working with my partner in a family business. I was ready to ask myself what I wanted instead of just fulfilling someone else’s expectations.

I decided to be open and try different things that interested me. Ceramics happened to be the first on my list, plus my friend had just started taking pottery classes at a local studio and couldn’t stop talking about it. So, I decided to sign up for my classes, and that’s how it all began.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
There are two ways to work with clay: one is using the pottery wheel, and the second is using only your hands to build and form the shape of a piece, which is called hand-building.

As a ceramic artist deeply immersed in the craft, I find immense joy in the meditative process of hand-building. I rely on my hands, fingers, and a few simple tools.

Hand-building allows for a more tactile connection to the material, which I prefer. I like to mold the clay with my fingers, to feel its grittiness, cold temperature, and plasticity.

Many times when I start making a shape, I have a general idea of what I’m making, and it keeps changing during the process as I add a new layer of clay. Even my popular pieces, which I make over and over again, always come out differently. That’s exactly what I like so much about hand-building: the newness, the wonder, and the unique character of every single ceramic artwork.

By now, my vases have been sold throughout the world. Being a ceramic artist, I find the highest satisfaction in the idea that people from different cultures can be touched by my creations.

As a small business owner, I have to wear many hats including making art, taking photos of it, running social media, maintaining and optimizing the website, communicating with the customers, packing and shipping my art and so much more. I never knew I could do all of those things before I started my own business. It’s time consuming and challenging but at the same time very exciting. You need to grow professionally in so many ways if you want to grow and develop. Now I feel very confident in my abilities and looking forward to expanding as an artist as well as a business owner.

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.
I absolutely love Los Angeles and all it has to offer! It boasts beautiful nature, a rich cultural life, some of the best restaurants, and unique local shops and brands.

I would definitely start by visiting Topanga Canyon. Take a nice walk in Red Rock Canyon Park, then head over to have lunch at the charming Topanga Living Cafe. Enjoy a soft serve at Canyon Gourmet and visit small shops like Artemis and Kinship for unique gifts, pottery, and art, all in the Pine Tree Circle plaza. Finish with a beach walk and sunset watching at Topanga Beach.

As an artist, I often visit LA’s museums and galleries. Some of my favorites include LACMA, The Broad, and the Getty Center, perfect for day-long trips to enjoy world-famous art.

For smaller galleries, check out Stroll Garden, Francis Gallery, and Twentieth Gallery.

I’m a foodie, so here are my favorite restaurants in LA: Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza on Melrose by Michelin-starred chef Nancy Silverton. Destroyer in Culver City is perfect for breakfast and lunch. Bavel offers a creative take on Middle Eastern food, and Damian provides contemporary Mexican cuisine.

For the best coffee, stop by Canyon Coffee in Echo Park or Cafe Nido in Silver Lake.

Don’t miss Abbot Kinney Blvd for a great vibe, shopping, restaurants, and cafes. My favorites here are Gjelina for brunch or dinner, Intelligentsia Coffee for the best specialty coffee, and endless cute shops along the way. You can also enjoy a nice walk to the beach from there or rent a scooter for a faster ride.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I had wonderful teachers along the way, starting with my first pottery instructor, Kelly Burnet from “The Pottery Studio,” to my beloved college professor, Katie Quinn, who runs the ceramics department at Los Angeles Valley College.

I’m very grateful for the community of potters at the studio where I took my first pottery classes and have been a member for the last 3.5 years. We share successes and failures, ask for advice, and support each other in our creative journeys.

Website: https://annashipulina.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annashipulina_ceramics/