Florence Lemoine

Glassblower

©Fabrice Rambert

An all-consuming craft

Florence is a glassblower who collaborates with other artists
She describes her work as poetic, sensitive and contemporary
Her work reflects her belief that glassmaking combines heritage and modernity

Florence Lemoine discovered glassmaking by chance while walking through the streets of Lyon when she was a student. She walked in front of Vincent Breed’s workshop and something about glass appealed to her. "That fascination has never left me," she says. After completing her art studies, Florence decided to follow an internship in glassmaking, and before long she became a Fellow of the European Glassmaker Centre (CERFAV). Over time, she developed a creative process that mixes precision and experimentation and brings together ideas, sketches, and technical skill. "Every project begins with a concept, but it is in the studio that my pieces really come to life," explains Florence. Working with the unpredictability of glass, Florence pushes it to its limits, using its cracks and fractures as well as powder effects to create pieces that are both fragile and powerful.

Interview

What do you love most about your craft?: Blowing glass. Edwards T. Smith, author of several excellent books on glass techniques, wrote in his first volume that glass is a virus. I find that so true! Once you have tried it, you cannot let it go. Glass is an obsessive material that takes over everything.
What life lesson has glassblowing taught you?: Humility. Glassblowing requires time, precision, and the ability to accept mistakes to learn and grow. It has taught me to be persistent and to value the process just as much as the result.
Do you collaborate with other artists?: Yes, I create custom pieces for other artists. I also collaborate with Tressages Pas Sages on a whole range of objects and lighting that combine blown glass and woven wicker.
How do these collaborations influence your work?: Collaborations fuel my creativity. They bring exchange, shared standards, and the challenge of working closely with others, on both a personal and technical level.

Florence Lemoine is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2003