Cathy Marre

Ceramicist

©AlexGallosi

©KNMProd

Living mineral

Cathy came across ceramics by chance
Through her creations she tries to make the mineral a little more alive
Improvisation plays an important part in her craft

Cathy Marre has been working as an independent ceramicist since 2018 in her workshop, an old mill in the heart of Drôme des Collines. She discovered her passion for clay while accompanying people with disabilities to a pottery workshop. A painter for 15 years, author of children’s books as well as specialised educator, she turned then to dedicate herself to ceramics. “My encounter with clay gave rise in me to the need to create a form of life in the mineral. I want to make pieces that celebrate the splendor and the preciousness of the living world, and to imagine a new world.” Constantly inspired by nature, the elegance of her works also shows her penchant for intricate ornaments, a trait inherited from her Franco-Syrian origins.

Where

Interview

©SMARRE

©KNMProd

What was a life changing event in your professional life?: Undoubtedly my encounter with the fascinating mineral in the White Desert in Egypt: the flower stone. This heavy stone, deep black with white shapes on it, immersed me in the living world of several million years ago and gave me the drive to bring to life what is static.
What do people not usually know about your craft?: I do not have a fixed work schedule because my impulsive instincts push me towards more creation and completely take precedence over scheduled tasks. There are significant logistics, but improvisation plays a greater role.
What do you enjoy most about being a ceramicist?: The rhythm imposed by this craft, the daily challenge of demanding more from myself, not controlling all the stages of creation, the physical contact with clay, its calmness and its smell.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: Tradition is expressed in the working of the clay itself, in learning and in the rules imposed by its changing state, from shaping to drying to firing and decorations. I like to circumvent and reinvent these by mixing up processes, textures and taking a lot of risks.

Cathy Marre is a rising star: she began her career in 2018 and she started teaching in 2019