Stéphanie d'Ardier & Loraine Savary

Rousse

Ceramicist

Third mind of a duo

Loraine and Stéphanie create ceramic art inspired by celestial themes
Their works imbue clay with texture and light
They highlight the character of natural materials in their pieces

Stéphanie d’Ardier and Loraine Savary met at Arts et Techniques Céramiques in Paris while studying wheel throwing. Although both initially had careers in other fields, each of them was compelled by a longstanding passion for ceramics to change career paths. After graduating, Stéphanie and Loraine decided to share a studio space until they could establish their individual practices. Very quickly, a new development crystallised; while collaborating on a piece for a mutual friend, the two artisans discovered that they shared a vision and synergy that elevates their work to a whole other level. This led to the birth of Rousse, their shared workshop. Here, the duo creates artistic pieces from porcelain and earthenware, typically with a single firing and minimal glaze.

Interview

What is your creative process like as a duo?: We describe our process as a third brain. It is akin to children using their imagination to play make-believe. Much like the 'exquisite corpse' method, we work together iteratively and in tandem to design and execute our creations – it is impossible to say who did what.
What inspires your Bonne Aventure series?: This series explores destiny and celestial themes – the sun, stars and beginnings. The lines are as simple and pure as possible. However, looking closer or in different lighting, you discover texture and nuance. We try to highlight the character of our natural materials.
How do you incorporate light in your pieces?: Many of our pieces are illuminated from behind, which imparts a variegated and ethereal glow. By playing with textures, we can achieve shadows or a lacquered effect. We also sometimes use gold leaf to create a splendid sheen that plays with light.
Why did you choose the name Rousse?: Rousse is a sort of stage name we chose for our collaboration. It reflects the hue of the clay we use, the colour of a flame and an entity that is greater than the sum of its parts. We still marvel at how naturally our collaboration flows.

Stéphanie d'Ardier & Loraine Savary are rising stars: they began their career in 2019 and they started teaching in 2019