Lola Mayeras, a return to her roots
What's your background ?
During my childhood, I was introduced to the art of ceramics in my father’s pottery workshop in the south of France. Thanks to him, I discovered the beauty of handmade objects and design. Later, I studied and worked as a stylist for a fashion brand in Paris. During the first confinement, I had the opportunity to return to my childhood home and rediscover my father’s workshop, which had just retired. By experimenting with creation through earthenware, I quickly perceived the potential of ceramics and the new means of expression that was offered to me. So I soon felt the urge to transcribe the creative process I was using to design a clothing collection to a ceramic collection.
Does your profession as a stylist influence your choices as a ceramist and vice versa ?
For five years I worked as a designer for a fashion brand that was a pioneer in upcycling, with collections presented at Paris Fashion Week. During these years, I learned to do a wide variety of tasks at a fast pace without losing my creative identity. The fashion world helped me to develop a global vision in the creation of an identity collection and to understand how to develop an idea into a concrete final project. Thus, I learned to naturally transform my first ceramic tests into a coherent collection of objects linked together by a common universe.
« During the first confinement, I had the opportunity to return to my childhood home and rediscover my father’s workshop, which had just retired »
What is your very first memory with this material ?
My father’s first workshop was in Vallauris, just below our house. This town is known as one of the cradles of ceramics. One of my earliest memories as a young child is of being mesmerised by the basins filled with coloured enamel. I remember the obsessive urge to dip my hands into the thick, tinted liquid. But I knew that this was unfortunately forbidden, as it was toxic. I learned to work with the material from my father and I am still learning, even though he is now retired: he is very supportive of the development of my project.
« Each piece is handmade in my father’s workshop. My biggest challenge has been to enjoy the slow process of creation »
About this first collection
A lot of this collection has been inspired by the shapes and colours of 60s and 70s designs, pop art and the atmosphere of the South of France. I tried to cultivate these inspirations by juxtaposing objects, diverting functions and revisiting forms.
A lot of the way I work is related to the way I used to work as a designer. I created this collection by developing a moodboard of shapes, colours and moods, and especially a lot of drawings. I had fun mixing iconic shapes to create a colourful collection of utilitarian pieces. Each piece is handmade in my father’s workshop. My biggest challenge has been to enjoy the slow process of creation.
What's next ?
I would ideally like to apply the world I develop through fabric pieces to ceramic creation. At the moment, I’m obsessed with bed linen and I’d really like to create a small capsule collection ! I don’t know exactly what or how yet, but I would like to be able to link my work as a designer with my ceramic project even more.
As a young craftswoman, do you have any advice to give to those who would like to embark on the clay adventure ?
It’s still very new for me so I don’t feel able to give advice yet (except maybe in some design techniques). I don’t have enough experience of my project yet to say what to do or not to do, or what has been beneficial for me. Maybe I’ll make an assessment at the end of the year 🙂
Lola's favorite at Cool Machine
I love the selection of your artisans and the work of DA around each photo you make, to promote the pieces in your eshop. Among others, I like the graphic ceramics of MARILYNE BLAIS with its perfect gradations and the universe of ABS OBJECT, their subtly personified forms have always pleased me.
