Clay that holds light
- Agathe integrates porcelain painting in her ceramic creations
- She trained at the Penninghen school in Paris
- Her lamps help create and shape ambiences in rooms
Using only her hands and utensils, Agathe Bailly crafts ceramic lamps, vases and candlesticks, each carrying a history of its own. "I learned my ceramics in an unusual sequence. My mother taught me how to paint on porcelain before I learned the methods of turning and modelling," she says. Agathe would buy plates from shops and practise painting them, until she earned her vocational diploma in ceramic turning and started making her own objects. Her inspirations come from nature’s patterns, shapes and colours, as well as artists such as Sonia Delaunay and Charlotte Perriand. Agathe later picked up ceramic lamp making, a challenge that requires different skills, including problem solving. "I am working on creating a ceramic stool, another ambitious and complex project that I find to be very rewarding," she explains.
INTERVIEW
After studying applied arts, I discovered porcelain painting as a new space for creative expression. Each piece became a blank canvas to fill with a pen, sponge or brush. This hands-on process led me to ceramics.
I draw from natural textures – bark, cracked earth and even molecules. Inspiration is everywhere. When turning and modelling, I preserve the natural colour of the clay, integrating porcelain painting to create a contrast that is both raw and delicate.
I begin by sketching my idea to guide the process. For precise, technical drawings, I work in silence. Once the piece is drawn, I follow my instinct more freely, often with music or a podcast in the background.
My goal in creating lamps is less about providing light and more about shaping a room's ambience. The challenge is finding shapes that diffuse light gently. Bulb choice is also key – a cool, white light creates a different atmosphere than a warm, sunny glow.
