Sylviane Perret

Atelier céramique de Saint-Amans

Ceramicist

©Jean-Philippe Arles

Geology, ceramics and tea cups

Sylviane specialises in mineral fusion to produce her ceramic sculptures
The transformation of materials as well as Japanese and Chinese tea ware inspire her practice
She collects her own minerals and clays in nature near her workshop

Fascinated by ceramic objects and especially by ancient bowls she saw in museums, Sylviane Perret first approached ceramics as a ground for chemical experimentation. "I wanted to uncover the mystery of the transmutation of oxides,” she explains. Her creative process stands out for her use of natural materials: Sylviane uses wild clay and minerals she gathers directly from nature. "This process connects me to geological time and to the inherent rhythm of clay, a rhythm that flows beyond societal influence," she says. In addition to her research on glazes, Sylviane specialises in slab sculpture and the tea bowl (chawan), which she creates through modelling. Indeed, enamelled utilitarian objects based on Japanese and Chinese aesthetics are among her primary sources of inspiration and reflection.

Interview

©Jean-Philippe Arles

©Jean-Philippe Arles

When did you first encounter clay as a craft?: My first contact with clay was at the Roger Vigeant workshop in Paris, where I had come to meet a friend who was training in ceramics. While waiting for her, I was given a ball of clay to pass the time, and the desire to continue the experience grew from there.
What are your main sources of inspiration?: The constant transformation of matter at work in nature is a key source. Volcanic landscapes, especially in Iceland and the Pyrenean mountains. I would also cite the work of other ceramicists, such as Dejonghe, Champy, Casanova, Virot, Soldner, among others, and the work of painters like Rothko, de Stael, Soulages as inspiring to me.
How does your craft relate to France?: I live near the Pyrenees and I can see the mountains in the distance from my workshop. For 25 years, they have inspired the sculptures I create. The clay-based soil of my home area is reflected in my sculptures and glazes, and collecting clays, rocks and minerals is a characteristic of my work.
What is your definition of a well-finished ceramic object ?: A piece that is carefully made, with precision and attention to detail. I apply this term to functional ceramics, but not to artistic ceramics, where I primarily expect the piece to provoke emotion or thought.

Sylviane Perret is a master artisan: she began her career in 1996 and she started teaching in 2011