About
About me
My name is Julien, I come from France, North East region, near Reims. I came to Paris for my studies. Since I was a kid, I've always had an artsy side, the chance to grow up in a familly who loved art and a strong sense of beauty. When I was studying, I was folding origami shapes as a way to relax and meditate. Potery is my way to relax and meditate now. It is a real passion, way of living, a part of me!
When I was travelling in 2019, I got stuck at one of my friends in the USA during a hurricane, and she is the one who initiated me to pottery as she has a pottery wheel! It was love at first sight, or rather at first touch with clay!
Unique objects come from deep within
Each creation is unique, intends to be either useful and decorative, or both. Each creation has an intention and a soul, albeit imperfect.
Each pressure, each tool application, each move, aims at completing the pattern and represents a step to descend into myself, merging with the artwork piece, moving forward in the representation.
These patterns and this form of artwork generate a state of meditation, some kind of artistic trance (instead of shamanic transe). The world around me blurs. The relationship with clay only matters and remains on focus.
A number of artwork pieces have been sacrificed for testing patterns, techniques, depth and tool response. Only the best pieces are kept and are glazed and fired.
About the creations
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Clay types
Fascinated by clay, I love to go for walks in the nearby forests to get raw materials to make my own clays. All clays are not equal, do not react in the same way and do not adapt equally to the pressure from my wooden tools to create the desired patterns.
Of course, some clays are purchased, but there is a real pleasure in making your own clay mix, knowing their reactions and making them partners you can count on.
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The creations
All of my pottery is handmade... stamped and shaped by hand or delicately and methodically thrown on a wheel.
Each piece is unique! no molds or reproduction method. Sister or twin pieces look alike and are sometimes similar, but never identical.
The forms are inspired by various cultures and sources, creating aesthetics illustrations or useful objects.
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Motives and decorations
The patterns and decorations are created from wooden tools, homemade using simple shapes (squares, triangles, lines, rectangles...) to produce trompe l'oeil effects and propose various ways of reading the artwork patterns.
For a cup of coffee, the production takes around 1h30, but for the biggest pieces, it can go up to 10h!
Each piece has its own story, sometimes, the pieces seem to dictate to me which pattern should appear on the surface.
A unique environment to be creative
I had the incredible chance to learn ceramics with M. Bernard Leclerc, in this wonderful studio (an old brick washhouse in Verrières le Buisson transformed in studio in 1974).
This building, elegantly refurbished and decorated, is dedicated to ceramics. Here you can find decorative or every-day artwork from M. Leclerc but also an impressive collection of 18th and 19th century ceramics from France and Europe.
M. Leclerc is a great and very generous teacher, sharing his passion and always eager to teach his techniques and very useful tips about pottery, clay and glazes.
His artwork is stunning, a great source of inspiration and learning.
Inspiration sources
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Nature and humain history
The first source of inspiration comes from the geometric shapes that can be observed in nature (flowers and plants, mountains and valleys...).
Then, museums and a long history of ceramics and art that provide a limitless inspiration. A family and education in museums and books around art.
Other sources of inspiration are found in other forms of craftsmanship or art (wickerwork, weaving, sculpture, etc.).
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Thierry Luang Rath
An incredible chance to meet and study with Thierry during a training session. He is an incredible artist, whose work is incredible delicate and creative, innovative and methodical, His work is pure poetry.
An artistic and incredibly positive soul. A source of inspiration both from its
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Ceramist friends
It all started in Houston with a great friend who loves ceramics. I got incredibly lucky to meet and share this passion with amazing people who love pottery. Nishita, Hiral & Joëlle K., Dominique A. & Marie, Matthieu F., Françoise L. ... difficult to name everyone who contributed to this passion.
The world of pottery is truly wonderful! including lots of passionate and motivating artists. I am amazed how many artists from across the world offered their input, shared some recipies and tips.