Artist Statement
Flora was born in South-West of France. The first time she was taught about clay properties was not during a ceramic course but during her formal civil engineering studies in Paris. While raising a family and working as a project manager, she started experimenting with mixed media. After successfully exhibiting in Paris and London as a mixed media abstract artist, she felt compelled to refocus her artistic research on creating functional pottery when moving to London. It’s only very recently that she decided to bring her clay work into the public eye again. She has a preference for organic shapes, natural tones and tactile textures. She works mainly on the potter’s wheel with stoneware clays fired in an electric kiln, often incorporating wood-ashes and wild clays into her glazes. Flora believes that, as a potter, it is her duty to promote the concept of “eco-herence”, that could be defined as a coherent sustainability through mindful practices and eco-caring working habits.
Over the years, she has developed a strong connection to the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, constantly learning to welcome acceptance, transience, and imperfection in her work. She likes to think that simple, rustic, and organic surfaces remind us that we are alive and that we all have a personal journey to accomplish: every crack, every print, every trace, every mark, every handling of the clay will give it a particular memory and will leave a permanent scar, once fired. After this, clay becomes vessel, and its own journey begins.
The year 2024 will have been marked for Flora by her participation to three major events: the Future Icons Selects show in London last May, the Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey last June, and the Handmade Chelsea show in November. You can find Flora’s work on the Craft Council directory, on the London Potters website, part of the Find A Maker community, most recently as a Design nation member and of course, on Instagram under the handle @ooak_creation.
Education
2015-2022
LSEC - ACL
Greenwich - UK
Ceramics studio classes as an adult learner
1989-1992
ESTP
Paris - France
MEng in Civil Engineering
1987-1989
Lycee Michel Montaigne
Bordeaux - France
CGPE - Preparatory classes to French Engineering schools Option Mathematics