Pieter Stockmans & Frank Claesen

Studio Pieter Stockmans

Porcelain maker

©Studio Pieter Stockmans

The magic of slip casting

Studio Pieter Stockmans was founded in 1987
Pieter and Frank continue the tradition of handcrafted hard porcelain
They believe porcelain can mould those who work with it

The porcelain art produced by Studio Pieter Stockmans results from a combination of traditional craft production and a contemporary, experimental approach. The studio has focused on limited, unique collections since the beginning, and its pieces are highly regarded by leading international chefs. Over the years, Pieter has been a Cultural Ambassador of Flanders and won numerous prizes, including the Red Dot Award. His better known pieces include the trophy for the Memorial Vandamme and plates for a royal wedding in Monaco. Pieter now passes on his 55 years of expertise to his daughter Widukind, who has overseen the day-to-day running of the studio since 2007, and his son-in-law Frank Claesen, who has been creating new designs for the studio since 1999.

Interview

©Studio Pieter Stockmans

©Studio Pieter Stockmans

What fascinates you about porcelain?: Both of us are fascinated by the material itself. Porcelain cannot be moulded; on the contrary, it moulds those who make it. Frank, in particular, 'fought' with the material because he wanted to design something that was impossible in porcelain, but by doing this he discovered new limits.
Do you use any technique in particular?: The technique we use in the studio is mostly slip casting. Our specialisation is hard porcelain and our source of inspiration is the material itself. We discover new possibilities every day and to be creative is the most wonderful aspect of this profession.
How does your work reflect your values?: We design and produce objects in small numbers, intended to last a lifetime. What we do requires knowledge, experience, patience and the strength to accept that each material has a will of its own, is hard to coerce, and that true beauty is in fact to be found in imperfection.
Does craftsmanship have a place in our modern age?: In a world where things are made in series and at lightning speed, we believe that there is a place for useful objects whose form is defined by beauty, not by what machines are able to make; objects that are shaped by techniques that have existed for centuries and ensure that each object is truly unique.

Pieter Stockmans & Frank Claesen are master artisans: they began their career in 1965 and they started teaching in 1968