Cécile Gray

Embroiderer

©Gabrielle Gayraud

Bonjour metal mesh and golden thread

Cécile creates metal mesh textiles
Her material combines lightness and strength
She loves direct contact with the material

As a creator of many inspirations, Cécile Gray makes jewellery dresses, with decorations embroidered in gold thread. After an initial career in architecture, Cécile leaves everything and changes paths to devote herself to a tangible and artistic craft. Direct contact with a material is what she seeks, along with balance, elegance, refinement and fantasy. These are the elements that Cécile gathers to produce her works that turn out to be unique creative pieces. Her intent is to embellish a garment, bracelets, necklaces with golden accents. She starts with golden steel wires which she weaves, slowly creating a mesh that is adorned with golden thread and beads.

Interview

©Gabrielle Gayraud

©Gabrielle Gayraud

Why did you decide to pick up this craft?: I worked for seven years in an architecture studio and realised one day that being in front of a computer all day did not stimulate me anymore. I wanted to reconnect with physical matter and I suffered from the absence of manual work. So, I made up a new occupation for myself.
What are your sources of inspiration?: For sure my training as an architect affects all my creations. There are also many motifs related to fabric, embroidery and jewellery that inspire me. I followed a course in fashion after my career change and that led me to new knowledge and arts.
What does well made mean to you?: Well done for me is when I have put all my heart, my passion, all of myself into something. Because of this, I need an endpoint to my work, otherwise I cannot reach a point where I am satisfied with a piece.
What do you love most about your new life?: The sense of freedom that it allows me to have. I manage my time as I please and I let creativity flow and arrive. At that point, I can begin to work and transform the abstract into concrete.

Cécile Gray is a rising star: she began her career in 2018