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Posted On: October 19th 2026, 02:30 pm
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Check out Harmonious Chaos (It’s Just a Bottle Opener) by Artist-in-Residence Anna R. Koplik (@arkoplik), on view now as part of our 2026-2027 Artists-in-Residence Introduction Exhibition, open through December 11.
With a focus on refinement in craft and blurring the lines between function, design, and concept, my work challenges preconceived notions of what blacksmithing can and should be. I frequently fixate on tool and utensil making, enjoying their pure function. Simultaneously I explore whimsical and absurdist combinations between function and decoration through extreme proportions and nonsensical designs. In “Harmonious Chaos (It’s Just a Bottle Opener)”, I am leaning into complex forgings and overly complicated joinery while merging vastly different aesthetics to create a cohesive piece. These mashed-together aesthetics, combined with the disjointed design and purpose of this piece, allows me to investigate what unity means in craft, while challenging the viewer’s idea of whether or not an object can or should be made.
After graduating from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Jewelry, Anna Koplik shifted her focus to blacksmithing and began traveling, working and teaching at crafts schools and as a journeyman architectural smith, and going on adventures whenever possible. Her personal work focuses mainly on tool and utensil making, and combining functionality with a refined, delicate aesthetic. Anna has worked at a variety of shops, including Atlas Forge, Caleb Kullman Studio, Spirit Ironworks, Davis Metalsmiths, and Kjellman-Chapin Smeder, as well as taught at various craft schools such as Penland, Touchstone, Center for Metal Arts, Haystack, and John C. Campbell. She is currently focusing on further developing her own body of work as an Artist in Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Visit the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery to experience Anna’s work alongside that of this year’s Artists-in-Residence!
With a focus on refinement in craft and blurring the lines between function, design, and concept, my work challenges preconceived notions of what blacksmithing can and should be. I frequently fixate on tool and utensil making, enjoying their pure function. Simultaneously I explore whimsical and absurdist combinations between function and decoration through extreme proportions and nonsensical designs. In “Harmonious Chaos (It’s Just a Bottle Opener)”, I am leaning into complex forgings and overly complicated joinery while merging vastly different aesthetics to create a cohesive piece. These mashed-together aesthetics, combined with the disjointed design and purpose of this piece, allows me to investigate what unity means in craft, while challenging the viewer’s idea of whether or not an object can or should be made.
After graduating from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Jewelry, Anna Koplik shifted her focus to blacksmithing and began traveling, working and teaching at crafts schools and as a journeyman architectural smith, and going on adventures whenever possible. Her personal work focuses mainly on tool and utensil making, and combining functionality with a refined, delicate aesthetic. Anna has worked at a variety of shops, including Atlas Forge, Caleb Kullman Studio, Spirit Ironworks, Davis Metalsmiths, and Kjellman-Chapin Smeder, as well as taught at various craft schools such as Penland, Touchstone, Center for Metal Arts, Haystack, and John C. Campbell. She is currently focusing on further developing her own body of work as an Artist in Residence at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Visit the Geoffrey A. Wolpert Gallery to experience Anna’s work alongside that of this year’s Artists-in-Residence!
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