Hi, I’m Uliana
A full time calligraphy artist since 2019, a wife, mum and a dreamer since forever…
I grew up as a shy girl in a small village in Moldova, dreaming of one day moving to a big city and doing something I truly loved. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Romania and a master’s in Tourism, life brought me to London in 2015, where I started from scratch. I first worked as a waitress, but worked hard to get a dream job as a hotel Receptionist.
While working in hospitality, in her free time, I was searching for creative hobbies. I loved drawing letters since school, and a quick Google search led her to a modern calligraphy workshop in London - a hobby that quickly became more than a passion.
In 2017, I met the man who would become my husband in 2018. I left London to move to Belfast, where he lived, thinking that would be the place we would settle, but after the wedding, we moved in London in October 2018. I kept practicing calligraphy, attending online courses and not long after, the idea of starting a small business came to life in 2019.
Sadly, a personal experience of a late miscarriage in early 2019 marked a painful beginning of my self-employed journey. Yet I chose to focus on moving forward, experimenting and creating without big plans.
Every little calligraphy commission I received brought me immense joy. That same year, she worked her first live calligraphy job—personalising Paperblanks journals and continued to gain experience and worked for other agencies. in 2020, during the pandemic I launched my website www.ulianapopa.com, continued to learn new skills like engraving.
In August 2022, my biggest dream came true: I became a mother. I stepped back to enjoy almost a year of motherhood to the fullest. Around the same time, I also developed a severe form of alopecia and lost nearly all my hair.
I slowly returned to work in September 2023, with Christmas that year marking my first busy season of working onsite again.
I focused on building genuine connections within the industry, joining the teams of supportive friends. At the same time, direct enquiries began to flow in more than ever—all thanks to Google search. In 2024, I began working with brands such as Victoria’s Secret UK and introduced a new service—hot foiling, which became especially popular for corporate events. That same year, I also embraced my bold look at live events, rocking it with courage and pride.
My months have been both busy and quiet, but I remain grateful for the flexibility that allows me to spend more time with my son and be truly present in his life.
My mission is to create magical lasting memories and personalised moments through the art of calligraphy and engraving
I fell in love with pointed pen calligraphy in 2016 after a Modern Calligraphy workshop in London. Over time, I discovered the timeless beauty of Copperplate and dedicated myself to mastering it, adding elegant flourishes along the way. Trained by world-renowned calligraphers, I now work across a range of scripts — from classic and ornamental to modern styles with a fresh, contemporary feel.
Even in my day to day life, I prefer to note things down the traditional way with pen in a notebook. I might make more mistakes, but handwriting grounds me. With pen in hand, I remember: we are human. And there are so many benefits for writing things down instead of typing in the phone including memory.the heart of my work is a love for the written word. I’ll never tire of doing calligraphy on paper. And here is why:
I love things slow
While the world races, calligraphy makes me slow down, be present and write with intention. Paper is my canvas, slow is my pace. Some messages deserve more than a double tap.
Because ink lasts
Digital fades in hours and sms can be deleted/lost, but ink seeps, smudges, ages — but never disappears. It proves we were here.
Because it quiets the noise
Endless tabs, constant pings. Calligraphy clears space. Each stroke is therapy.
Because it connects
Curves and flourishes carry a romance no pixel can match.
My life in a nutshell..
When I am not in my studio, you’ll find me in parks, a place where I like to recharge and contemplate, although nowadays my time alone is almost none as I spend a lot of time with my little boy Oliver.
He is my biggest why - my rainbow boy—who already turned 3 this August
Since he came into my life, I truly believe he brought me luck and made me a better businesswoman. Before him, it often felt like nothing was working… until he arrived and filled my life with light and purpose.
Somehow, after returning from maternity leave in September 2023, things became busier than ever. Between fast-paced weeks and slower ones, the simple freedom to enjoy a weekday coffee date with him is my greatest joy.
I want him to grow up seeing a mum who followed her heart, who didn’t give up in the quiet seasons, and who kept believing in her dream. 🌿
What inspires me…
Inspiration finds me in the quiet moments — in the art of the written word, the beauty of tiny details, and the timeless traditions of heritage crafts.
As an introvert, I like to bring to life my work in silence (I very rarely listen to music and even then that should be very soothing)
While in studio in my slow days with little work, I love flipping my books on traditional calligraphy, my travel books, floral illustration books and even interior books.
Travel, history, and romance move me, reminding me of the connections and memories that make life so meaningful.
And ultimately nature inspire me too. As the seasons change it always remind me that change is good.
I love spending time in nature, our nearby forest is my go to place to spend in nature and love waking up when the sun rises.
I love travelling and discovering new places and have a weakness for French and Italian desserts and wines and also fond of their architecture and art history. Paris, Florence and Verona are my favourite cities that I visited.
Favourite way to unwind is reading, cooking, baking and waking up at 5am to listen to birdsong while I enjoy my cup of coffee in silence
I am a romantic at heart that truly believe in happy endings and a big crier
The craziest thing I did in my life was saying a big ‘YES’ to my husband after only 3 weeks of dating and I feel so fortunate to hold an unique love story together.
I chose Uliana to write my wedding invitations for my gothic Venetian wedding. Her work is truly beautiful. Delightful wisps of italic script helped set the scene and created a flawlessly professional finish. Her attention to detail is second to none and her communication throughout was first-class. In short, she is excellent.When I decided to use a Venetian mirror as the table plan, I engaged her again to replicate the plan in her glorious writing. Absolutely stunning. I could not recommend Uliana more highly”.
Catherine & Richard - East Sussesx