Cécile Lowy

Ceramic decorator

©Jacques Olivier Trompas

©Cecile Lowy

Reviving faience decoration

Cécile specialises in decorating raw glazes on pieces that she shapes herself
Her work revisits traditional patterns from the 17th and 18th centuries
She set up her atelier in her garden in 2008

Cécile Lowy creates earthenware using the traditional, rare technique of decorating on raw glaze. Her fascination with antiques led her to a training course in faience decoration focused on 18th-century heritage. What started as a way to sharpen her eye as a collector quickly grew into a passion strong enough to pull Cécile away from a career in contemporary dance. "I knew that I wanted to make these decorative traditions my own and carry them forward through modern, everyday pieces," she explains. Since 2008, Cécile has worked on her pieces from her garden studio. While her inspiration draws from European earthenware of the 17th and 18th centuries, her pieces take on distinctly modern shapes.

Interview

©Jacques Olivier Trompas

©Jacques Olivier Trompas

How did your journey with your craft begin?: After earning my diploma as a ceramic decorator, I set up a small studio in a shed in my garden. I bought a second-hand kiln and began reproducing drawings on pieces I sourced from local potters.
What were the first pieces you created?: Over time, the pieces I obtained from potters no longer suited me, so I started making my own. Slowly, I began shaping the clay and creating plates and bowls. People appreciated the slight irregularities – there was a fun contrast between the precise decoration and the roughness of the shapes.
How do you define well-made?: A well-made object features decorations with sharp lines, harmonious colours and tangible movements. When I take the piece out of the kiln after the second firing, the glaze should be glossy, smooth and free of imperfections. The piece must invite people to hold it.
What is a memorable moment from your practice?: I love when people describe my pieces exactly as I would have defined them. It is moving to see how my work resonates with others and how it touches something in the collective subconscious.

Cécile Lowy is a master artisan: she began her career in 2008 and she started teaching in 2017