24 July 2020

Ceramics By Laura, a world between minimalism and geometry

Eclectic and explosive encounter with Laura, a young French artist formerly a designer, converted to the profession of ceramist. At the boundaries between craft, pure creation and design.

Can you tell us your story, your life journey ?

I first turned to artistic studies after my baccalaureate, starting with the MANA which is an upgrade in applied art, then I did a graphic design technical diploma. Once I finished my studies I started working as a graphic designer, which made me extremely frustrated to be behind a computer all day long … So I turned to a diploma in the trades of arts in 2 years in Sèvres. Follow-up with additional training in a private workshop for 5 months, in intensive technique, in Montreuil. Needing money to get started, I returned to my parents’ place in the Loire, in Perreux, where I now share a 30 square meter workshop with my dad, a workshop that was initially his DIY workshop.

Why did you choose ceramic ?

I would say it’s a family affair ! My parents are great handymen. My father drew a lot, it was clearly him who gave me the taste for drawing. My grandfather was a cabinetmaker and my aunt was a plastic arts teacher, so I was really immersed in the arts and crafts world from a young age. At first, I hesitated between metal, wood or ceramic, I started with ceramics and I liked it immediately, both the technical and the chemical aspects.

What is the chemical ratio in ceramic ?

When we make creations, we are artisans, creators but also technicians. There is really a technical know-how at the level of the gesture but also technical knowledge, in terms of manufacture. There are many types of clay, with different compositions. Enamel, the colored coating, which provides color, shine, mattness, opacity or transparency, is a material very similar to glass, it is used to cover the room. When you make your own enamel, you have to go through molecular calculations, which in fact consist in the translation of molecular formulas, with materials such as silica, chalk, kaolin. It’s this technical side that gives me added value, you’re not just looking for aesthetic shapes and colors.

In what atmosphere do you immerse yourself when you create ?

I only work in my workshop, and I pumice France inter thoroughly ! If I need to be super focused, I cut. I can also take relaxing breaks in the family garden, go and recharge my batteries in the vegetable garden between two creations.

I saw the wheat fields, the cows on one side, the hens on the other, it’s really nice as a setting. In terms of light, I don’t have any particular requirements, however I couldn’t work in a basement. I know a lot of artisans who go through this at the start of their careers, for lack of money, but it can’t be fun without natural light.

How are you used to working in terms of reflection / collection ? Do you think of a collection first, or do you prefer to let your imagination run wild ?

It’s a bit of a mix of the two. In fact, at the beginning when I started my research with drawing, I identified several trends, telling myself that they would be different series, different ranges. I had the collection in terms of style but for the names, there is a real reflection. I’m not starting with a collection name, it really comes second. The collections are not fixed, they are constantly evolving. For example, for the Le Grand Bleu collection, I added new pieces in red sandstone grog. I leave myself free to make them evolve over time. On the other hand, I am very organized, and I always make sure that there is a certain coherence of style for one and the same collection.

What is your favorite step in making a creation ?

I really enjoy the turning, and the assembly of parts. Otherwise, I really like the lighting part of the rooms through photography.

And which step do you like least ?

The mesh ! This is the most frustrating step. There are always between 10 and 15% faults when they come out of the oven. These are the vagaries of the oven! It can be a crack, a bubble linked to a defect in the material. There is always loss.

In your bio, you talk about “plastic language”. What do you mean ?

Plastic language is aesthetic language. The handles and the colors are part of it : these are the elements that make up the identity of this one, which I take up and which I decline. It is a visual language and a vocabulary of shapes and colors.

What message do you want to convey through your creations?

My art is in no way engaged. On the other hand, it denotes some of my inspirations, in particular those of Mediterranean culture, of objects that date from the Pleiad, from antiquity. I hope that the public manages to perceive in my creations this bridge between tradition and modernity. I am inspired by very traditional, very old objects, adding a minimalist style.

Where does your taste for the raw, archaeological and even geometric aspect come from?

I’ve always loved geometry, it’s a taste that I can’t explain too much. During my studies as a graphic designer, in all my productions this very geometric and minimalist aspect emerged. It’s probably related to my very organized and very square personality. There is also the influence of the Bauhaus movement – which I studied during my studies. This trend that emerged in Germany in the interwar period revolutionized the view of design and craftsmanship that had been very compartmentalized before : designers on one side, artists on the other, then artisans. This current claimed to break this idea, since we could be all 3 at the same time. This current unveiled a very geometric artistic style. It’s a source of inspiration for many artists.

And you, how do you position yourself?

I feel a bit of the 3 : as well as designer, as artist or craftswoman. Officially I am a designer having graduated from my BTS designer, and a craftswoman since I have my DMA. And for an artist, if I’m not mistaken, you don’t need a diploma! I like to decompartmentalize these 3 notions, like many contemporary designers.

How do you see the future?

I can see myself continuing my activity as a ceramicist. I plan to move to a new workshop in Montpellier with ceramicist friends, to develop courses, to pass on our passion. The courses remain an important source of income. I have already organized several introductory courses because there was really a demand and then I also wanted to test myself in this educational dynamic, it is becoming a very popular activity.