As simple as happiness
- Violaine creates both everyday objects and art pieces
- She applies different techniques to build and decorate her pieces, from slab rolling to sgraffito
- Teaching ceramics is a central facet of her work
Ceramicist Violaine Verry has designed a simple logo for her work, made up of her initials, separated by a hyphen. But if you turn the logo upside down, it looks like a smiley face, which is no coincidence. A former design and art director, Violaine discovered ceramics in 2017. She had been longing to find an activity “just for her”, with no deadlines and no screens. When she attended a ceramic workshop and felt the clay in her hands for the first time, it was like a homecoming to her. This feeling has not vanished. “When I work with the clay, in the quasi-monastic calm of my studio tucked away from the noise of the city, I find my balance”, she says. “Every time I open the studio door, I enter my happy place”. Violaine is French, but has been living in London since 1995.
Interview
- How would you define your style?
- Considered, carefully crafted, with minimalist tendencies. I make functional pieces such as tableware and homeware for everyday use, but regularly I set time aside to create unique pieces that do not serve any purpose other than challenge my skills and push my creativity.
- Do you have any favourite techniques?
- I like to experiment. Recently, I have gone back to hand building with the slab rolling technique. I also use sgraffito, which consists in painting coloured slip on the surface of a piece, and then scratching it away to reveal the natural colour of the clay underneath and form patterns.
- Could you explain your choice of such a natural colour palette in your work?
- I am quite obsessed with the shape of my vessels, how different curves completely change the personality of a piece, as well as the beauty of the clay and its earthy tones. For tableware, in particular, I want the food to be the highlight of the show, and neutral tones work best for this, in my view.
- What is the role of teaching for you?
- Surprisingly important! Teaching helped me take my own skills more seriously, going from hobbyist to professional. Fixing my students’ problems during class has really improved my understanding of how clay works. I also try to teach them to let go, to be patient with the clay and themselves, and see the beauty in the flaws of their wonky pots.
Violaine Verry is a rising star: she began her career in 2020 and she started teaching in 2020
Works
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Violaine Verry
