Coralie Huckel - Artiste Céramiste
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
At the heart of my creative process lies an exploration of form and volume, and the way they occupy space. Today, I am increasingly interested in the concept of traces. Everything in the universe leaves traces—visible or invisible, intentional or unintentional. Animals mark their territory; their passage leaves footprints. I reflect on my own place: what traces I choose to leave and how they are inscribed in the material.
Thus, the intentional traces I leave in the clay—imprints, textures, lines I draw with a brush—are the result of my reflections and feelings. I take the time to think about what I want to evoke and am attentive to the emotions that arise upon encountering my pieces.
The imprints I make in the clay are both derived from nature and created by humans. Plant imprints: flowers and leaves that move me with their beauty, nut shells that are like lace and provide nourishment. Mineral imprints: rocks gathered by the water’s edge, in the forest, volcanic rocks—all alive and millennia-old witnesses. Finally, I incorporate seals created by artisans, designed for paper, which I transpose into clay. Two of them, from Korea and Burma, were passed down to me and convey values that are dear to me: harmony, serenity, and kindness.Furthermore, I feel a deep connection to these seals because they link me to my partly Asian heritage.
I like to think that the imprints, textures, and brushstrokes I create infuse my pieces with a certain energy, allowing those who touch, use, or look at them to have a visual, tactile, and emotional experience.
Time is another essential concept in my approach: taking the time for the gesture, breathing, pausing the rush. For me, this means rediscovering the creative gestures of childhood, reconnecting with a rhythm closer to the soul, and conveying that through my pieces.
My creations include utilitarian, decorative, and expressive pieces. I develop small series for tea, for serving, for eating, for holding flowers, and for lighting the home. I name my collections: Empreintes (plant and mineral textures, bronze, green, and blue glaze), Fūdé (black or blue brushstrokes and textures), Arenas (sand and bronze glaze), Ivoire (matte ivory glaze), and Les Précieuses. On the pieces in this last collection, I apply touches of gold or gold leaf before firing them at a low temperature. For many of these pieces, I collaborate with other artisans specializing in lacquer, wood, or metal.
I work primarily with stoneware and porcelain (cone 6), using both the wheel and slab-building techniques. I fire my pieces in an electric kiln and have developed my various glazes to suit these clays. I love stoneware—both white and black—for its strength and resilience; porcelain for its delicacy and elegance. I apply glazes by dipping, pouring, and brushing, playing with the contrasts between glazed and unglazed areas, and I also use engobes.
The pieces I will be presenting at 1001 Pots are from the Fūdé Collection, which features traces of brushstrokes and imprints left in the clay.
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