"I have had several professional lives in various parts of the world [...], but always related to beauty and aesthetics. I fell into the ceramic pot following a workshop [...]. It was a revelation."
Nathalie Pichardie - Earth by nmp
TERRE BY NMP
Ceramicist, Lons (64)
Nathalie tells us how, after "several professional lives," ceramics appeared to her as a revelation
Tell us your story, how did you find your calling?
I have had several professional lives in various parts of the world (Africa, Europe, and the Middle East), but always related to beauty and aesthetics. I fell into the ceramic pot after a recreational workshop in my city. It was a revelation. I immediately knew that I wanted to make it my main activity. I was a decorator at the time, two complementary worlds that crossed paths as my practice evolved.
I had the opportunity to take several training courses, in Paris and Bordeaux. But I mainly learned wheel throwing at home, by throwing for many hours a day for a year,
Starting over again and again, until I mastered the wheel.
They say you only master the wheel after 10 years, so I am still far from that. That is precisely what I find most exciting: learning something new every day about the many facets of ceramic practice.
How would you describe your style and your artistic approach in a few words?
I want to create simple, useful everyday objects, without any fuss. Color is very important in my ceramic work. Researching glazes is a long process, rich in emotion. Above all, I seek beauty and utility.
What themes or subjects inspire you the most in your work?
I am passionate about interior design, which is also my profession. I draw my inspiration from exhibitions and museums, magazines, the travels I have been fortunate enough to take around the world, and nature, to which I feel very close.
How do you work?
I work with smooth or slightly grogged clays that allow the colored glaze to stand out. I layer glazes and test different colors based on minerals and oxides.
My small studio, under the eaves of my house, brings me comfort and peace.
I am nonetheless looking to move to a larger, more practical studio where I could store my pieces more easily.
Tell us about your daily life, your constraints, your joys, your successes…
I live and work in a house very close to nature, surrounded by my animals, who are with me every day.
My latest joy is being part of the ceramics collective, Minuit Céramique. I am very proud to be among these craftspeople, all of whom are different and incredibly talented.