Émilie Baudrais
Mosaic maker
Plassac, France
Innovating on the majesty of mosaics
- Émilie approaches mosaic making as a meditative practice
- Her sculptural work explores and reveals invisible energies
- She developed public mosaics with local residents
Émilie Baudrais discovered mosaic art as a child while visiting the archaeological Gallo-Roman Villa site in her native village of Plassac. After studying fine arts, she trained at the prestigious Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Italy, where she learned traditional mosaic techniques from master artisans before opening her own studio in 2010. Today, Émilie specialises in Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and contemporary mosaics, and builds on this tradition by adding stone, glass, enamel and mother-of-pearl into her works. "I sometimes include recycled materials, too," she shares. Inspired by nature, philosophy and meditation, Émilie reinterprets the language of mosaic through abstract compositions in which light, texture and movement play a central role.
INTERVIEW
Technical mastery provides a strong foundation, but the artistic spark often emerges through experimentation, chance and unexpected discoveries. Over the years, I have learned that creativity requires letting go of certainty and allowing the material itself to guide the process.
I try to preserve the unique character and personality of each material before bringing it into dialogue with others. My aim is to create an organic balance, where every element finds its place naturally, as if it had always belonged within the same environment.
For many years, I felt a responsibility to preserve and transmit traditional knowledge through teaching. While I still enjoy sharing advice and experience, I am now more interested in inspiring wonder through innovation, while continuing to work with traditional tools and techniques.
I live and work in Plassac, a village with a rich heritage of Roman mosaics. Over the past decade, I have created a series of outdoor mosaics with residents throughout the village. These projects bring mosaic into everyday life and have strengthened my connection to the place and its community.
Émilie Baudrais
Mosaic maker
Plassac, France
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
French, English, Italian
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