defiler vers le bas pour la version française
My name is Katy des Fontaines, I am married and I have two big boys and two grandchildren.
I was born in Belgium and I spent my childhood all over the world with my parents and my 4 brothers and sisters. Amongst others we lived in Africa which may well be what has the most marked my inspiration.
I discovered ceramics for the first time at the age of 18 during a summer internship and I have always remained faithful to my passion for
clay and shapes.
Meetings with potters and ceramists, internships and training and above all, the practice allowed me to acquire the skills that I have today and the pleasure of sharing with my students.
I started teaching sculpture ceramics in Bangkok within the community of expatriates in 2012 until 2014 when we went to live in Dubai. And there it is, in this environment that we imagine hostile to authenticity, that
I was able to attend the most beautiful workshops to improve my knowledge and provide creative workshops for members of this broad community of budding ceramicists.
Yadawei, Al Jalila, Oka ceramics studios from Dubai taught me everything I was missing and offered me opportunities for exhibition, running orkshops, and especially to be immersed in the Dubai ceramics community.
On our return to France in July 2020, I had the chance to meet Marina at the Hangar, she was able to reach out to me and open the doors of a workshop which brings together artists from all disciplines. They had to approach ceramics and today it is with great pleasure that I host the Friday morning lessons at the Hangar.
My students at the Hangar and at my home are all beginners, we manage to create essentially utilitarian pieces but also decorative. Our field of action is limited to a technique appropriate to the space we have in the Hangar. The pieces take shape, they are then decorated with engobes or metal oxydes. They are first fired at 950 degrees then, they are covered with a transparent enamel that reveals the colors during a second firing in the kiln at 1240 degrees. The process is long, patience is required, drying times must be respected but our determination is there and clayis our ally.
My relationship with clay is an addiction. Clay is a natural element so sensual, so flexible and at the same time so stimulating when you want it to take shape.
Patience is the key to understanding this capricious element. Humility is also essential for a successful play. Inventiveness, to transform this clay loaf into a useful or decorative piece, must be accompanied by delicacy, subtlety and firmness. The clay is, however, very tolerant and allows you to make mistakes, it is malleable and receptive to your demands as long as its humidity allows it, but when it is dry, it no longer allows any action.
My inspiration for sculpture pieces is intimately linked to my childhood in Africa. The woman, and especially her elegance, is naturally my favorite terrain. For useful pieces, shaped on the wheel or by hand, I essentially direct myself towards what makes it possible to be used harmoniously and trigger a feeling of return to the authentic.
I was born in Belgium and I spent my childhood all over the world with my parents and my 4 brothers and sisters. Amongst others we lived in Africa which may well be what has the most marked my inspiration.
I discovered ceramics for the first time at the age of 18 during a summer internship and I have always remained faithful to my passion for
clay and shapes.
Meetings with potters and ceramists, internships and training and above all, the practice allowed me to acquire the skills that I have today and the pleasure of sharing with my students.
I started teaching sculpture ceramics in Bangkok within the community of expatriates in 2012 until 2014 when we went to live in Dubai. And there it is, in this environment that we imagine hostile to authenticity, that
I was able to attend the most beautiful workshops to improve my knowledge and provide creative workshops for members of this broad community of budding ceramicists.
Yadawei, Al Jalila, Oka ceramics studios from Dubai taught me everything I was missing and offered me opportunities for exhibition, running orkshops, and especially to be immersed in the Dubai ceramics community.
On our return to France in July 2020, I had the chance to meet Marina at the Hangar, she was able to reach out to me and open the doors of a workshop which brings together artists from all disciplines. They had to approach ceramics and today it is with great pleasure that I host the Friday morning lessons at the Hangar.
My students at the Hangar and at my home are all beginners, we manage to create essentially utilitarian pieces but also decorative. Our field of action is limited to a technique appropriate to the space we have in the Hangar. The pieces take shape, they are then decorated with engobes or metal oxydes. They are first fired at 950 degrees then, they are covered with a transparent enamel that reveals the colors during a second firing in the kiln at 1240 degrees. The process is long, patience is required, drying times must be respected but our determination is there and clayis our ally.
My relationship with clay is an addiction. Clay is a natural element so sensual, so flexible and at the same time so stimulating when you want it to take shape.
Patience is the key to understanding this capricious element. Humility is also essential for a successful play. Inventiveness, to transform this clay loaf into a useful or decorative piece, must be accompanied by delicacy, subtlety and firmness. The clay is, however, very tolerant and allows you to make mistakes, it is malleable and receptive to your demands as long as its humidity allows it, but when it is dry, it no longer allows any action.
My inspiration for sculpture pieces is intimately linked to my childhood in Africa. The woman, and especially her elegance, is naturally my favorite terrain. For useful pieces, shaped on the wheel or by hand, I essentially direct myself towards what makes it possible to be used harmoniously and trigger a feeling of return to the authentic.
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J'ai découvert la céramique pour la première fois à l'âge de 18 ans lors d’un stage d'été et je suis, depuis, toujours restée fidèle à ma passion pour l'argile et les formes. Bien entendu, la vie vous rattrape, les études, les enfants, le travail. Et quelque part, derrière, dans ta tête, c'est l'argile, les formes, les couleurs qui vous tiennent . Vient alors un jour où tout bascule et je peux enfin consacrer tout mon temps à la
céramique. Les rencontres avec des potiers et des céramistes, les stages et formations et surtout, la pratique, m’ont permis d'acquérir les compétences que j’ai aujourd’hui et le plaisir de partager avec mes élèves.
J’ai commencé à enseigner la sculpture céramique à Bangkok au sein de la communauté d'expatriés en 2012 jusqu’en 2014 lorsque nous sommes partis vivre à Dubaï. Et c’est là, dans ce milieu que l’on imagine hostile à l'authenticité, que j’ai pu fréquenter les plus beaux ateliers pour y améliorer mes connaissances et dispenser des ateliers créatifs aux membres de cette large communauté de céramistes en herbe. Les studios Yadawei, Al Jalila, Oka ceramics de Dubaï m’ont enseigné tout ce qui me manquait et offert des opportunités d’exposition, d’animation d’ateliers, et surtout d'être immergée au sein de la communauté des céramistes de Dubaï.
Depuis notre retour en France en Juillet 2020, j’ai eu la chance de rencontrer Marina au Hangar, elle a su me tendre la main et m'ouvrir les portes d’un atelier qui rassemble des artistes de toutes disciplines. Il leur fallait approcher la céramique et c’est avec grand plaisir que j’anime aujourd’hui le cours du vendredi matin au Hangar.
Mes élèves au Hangar et à mon domicile sont toutes débutantes, et, pas à pas, nous arrivons à créer des pièces essentiellement utilitaires mais aussi décoratives. Notre champ d’action se limite à une technique appropriée à l’espace dont nous disposons au Hangar. Les pièces prennent forme, elles sont ensuite décorées aux engobes ou oxydes métalliques. Elles passent dans un premier four à 950 degrés puis, elles sont couvertes d’un émail transparent qui révèle les couleurs lors d’un deuxième passage au four à
1240 degrés. Le processus est long, la patience est de rigueur, les temps de séchage doivent être respectés mais notre détermination est là et l’argile et notre alliée.
Ma relation avec l’argile est une addiction. L’argile est un élément naturel si sensuel, si flexible et en
même temps si stimulant lorsque vous voulez lui faire prendre forme.
La patience est la clef pour appréhender cet élément capricieux. L'humilité est également de rigueur pour réussir sa pièce. L'inventivité, pour transformer ce pain d’argile en pièce utile ou décorative, doit s’accompagner de délicatesse, subtilité, fermeté. La terre est, cependant, très tolérante et vous donne droit à l'erreur, elle est malléable et réceptive à vos exigences tant que son taux d'humidité le permet, mais lorsqu’elle se fige, elle ne permet plus aucune action.
Mon inspiration pour les pièces de sculpture est intimement liée à mon enfance en Afrique. La femme, et surtout son elegance , est naturellemet mon terrain de predilection. Pour les pièces utilitaires façonnées au tour ou à la main, je me dirige essentiellement vers ce qui permet d'être utilisé harmonieusement et déclencher un sentiment de retour à l'authentique.
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