cERAMICS
Camille Romagnani
Please share a bit about yourself and your background. What was the early motivation to express your creativity through ceramics?
I'm Camille, I live in Paris. I grew up in both Paris and Beijing, as I am half French and half Chinese. This blend of cultures is important to me and is reflected in my work. Regarding my background, I began my studies in product design at Ensaama Olivier de Serre in Paris.
After three years, I realised that product design wasn't what I was looking for. I had always wanted to work closely with craftsmen and collaborate with skilled artisans, but the program involved a lot of 3D modelling and computer work. So, I switched to textile design for my master's degree at Ensci Les Ateliers. This was much more hands-on, involving weaving and knitting, allowing me to work directly with materials, colours, and compositions. It was fascinating, but I couldn't see myself in an office job designing for brands.
After graduating, I spent a year experimenting and exploring how to work independently. During this time, I discovered ceramics and haven't stopped since. That was five years ago, and now I've opened my own studio in Paris. It’s been a rewarding journey, gradually transitioning from freelance work to focusing solely on ceramics. In textile design, I loved working with colours and materials and conducting research on textures. However, ceramics provided a faster way to create tangible objects, which I found very satisfying. I’m glad I’ve had the chance to explore various options and pursue what I truly love.
We know you gravitate toward different mediums, such as photography, textiles, drawing, woodwork, and beeswax. Can you share your thoughts on how these mediums are influencing your approach to ceramics?
If I could do everything, I would, because I love to draw, craft, and explore textiles. Drawing has been with me since I was a child. It's a tool for design, research, and sketching, but I also just love drawing for its own sake. I love photography as well. All these practices are interconnected.
For example, I often draw as part of my research or sketching process, and photography is both an inspiration and a way to document my work. When I go on hikes or holidays, I take a lot of pictures, which inspire me. I also take time to photograph my ceramic work and other creations. Textiles were my original background, and I learned a lot about colours and their combinations. My textile teachers were very strict about colours, and that influence has stayed with me. Beeswax is a bit different but also part of my practice. While living in Greece, I noticed beeswax was common in churches and shops, and I saw it as a way to create smaller, reproducible objects that are still my sculptures.
Ceramics are unique pieces, so using wax allows me to offer more affordable, popular items. I love beeswax because it connects to the natural world, like plants and bees. It's a fantastic material. You always want to try more things while improving what you already do. Finding a balance and having a personal life is essential. It's very fun and interesting, so I cannot complain.
How do you think your education in Textile Design at ENSCI Les Ateliers and Product Design at ENSAAMA Oliviers de Serre shaped your view of crafts?
Textiles definitely take a lot of time each day. It was a tough entry into crafts because, for school projects, we needed to weave for several weeks before seeing the results. I really learned patience during that time. However, I also realized that making a living from it would be difficult because spending weeks on a single project is very costly. While textile crafts are beautiful, they are time-consuming.
Despite this, I still cherish the human touch in crafts and want to continue creating handmade items. Machines can weave, knit, or embroider, but the result isn't the same as handmade work. Textiles involve very small details, like one thread or a slight change in colour or texture, which can alter the final result. It's a great foundation for learning precision and attention to detail.
In school, we had access to various studios, including wood, metal, and 3D printing, which allowed us to experiment with many materials. This was a fantastic opportunity to learn from others, something I value even more now. Currently, I'm involved in a residency project in France called Studio Momo, which focuses on different crafts. It's a collaboration of five artists and five craftswomen from the south of France. I work with a glassmaker, learning completely new crafts from her. It's like being back in school in a good way, sharing knowledge and skills with others.
Could you guide us through your creative process and share how important experimentation and becoming less attached to the final result of a piece is?
My process often begins with a simple idea, such as creating a sculpture inspired by vegetal seeds or trying to recreate the colours of the sky, which I have explored in many series. When I lived in Greece, I was inspired by volcanoes and volcanic shapes. I try to stay very free and open when shaping these ideas. I don't overthink it; instead, I focus on being satisfied with the final shape, even if it takes a few days or weeks to refine. Sometimes, I let the piece rest on the side of the studio to see if I am still happy with it after some time.
When it comes to colours, I usually start with a vague idea of the dominant colour for the piece, but I like to remain flexible and free in my approach. After years of doing this, I have developed a process, but I strive to avoid getting stuck in a routine. Experimentation is crucial because it helps me achieve something I truly like and maintain the distinctive style that is now expected of me.
Additionally, I have started collaborating with factories and working on specific projects requested by others. This involves including their input in my work, which can be very collaborative. For instance, someone might request a lampshade or a special colour, and I interpret their ideas through my creative lens. Balancing my own style with experimentation and collaboration is a key part of my process.
Could you guide us through your creative process and share how important experimentation and becoming less attached to the final result of a piece is?
My process often begins with a simple idea, such as creating a sculpture inspired by vegetal seeds or trying to recreate the colours of the sky, which I have explored in many series. When I lived in Greece, I was inspired by volcanoes and volcanic shapes. I try to stay very free and open when shaping these ideas. I don't overthink it; instead, I focus on being satisfied with the final shape, even if it takes a few days or weeks to refine. Sometimes, I let the piece rest on the side of the studio to see if I am still happy with it after some time.
When it comes to colours, I usually start with a vague idea of the dominant colour for the piece, but I like to remain flexible and free in my approach. After years of doing this, I have developed a process, but I strive to avoid getting stuck in a routine. Experimentation is crucial because it helps me achieve something I truly like and maintain the distinctive style that is now expected of me.
Additionally, I have started collaborating with factories and working on specific projects requested by others. This involves including their input in my work, which can be very collaborative. For instance, someone might request a lampshade or a special colour, and I interpret their ideas through my creative lens. Balancing my own style with experimentation and collaboration is a key part of my process.
When it comes to the tactile aspect of your work and its connection with your body, how does the hands-on nature impact your overall happiness and well-being?
I think definitely, yes. It’s the same for all crafts or handmade things—you kind of detach from what you're doing with your hands and what you're thinking about in your head. It becomes very meditative and stress-relieving to do something where your hands know what they're doing while you can think about other things. I also enjoy listening to music, the radio, or podcasts while working. It allows for an inner journey; I imagine the landscapes described on the radio while working with ceramics.
You need to be not stressed and well-rested; otherwise, you risk breaking your work. I've experienced this many times when I tried to save time by working faster or doing something at the end of the day, which ended up ruining what I did. So, being in a good mood is crucial for the quality of my work. If my workspace isn't set up properly, my work suffers, and it's not as good as it could be.
When your craft becomes your full-time job, you have to deal with deadlines and financial pressures. It's essential to maintain the pleasure of the practice and not let it become a source of stress. This balance is important for everyone, regardless of their craft. Balancing personal life and work is key. I love ceramics, but if I do it too much without resting, my work quality declines. However, doing what I love for a living is a great feeling. If you have the chance to do what you love for work, you feel really lucky and want to reach a certain level. It’s also important to visit exhibitions, see new places, and meet new people to nourish yourself personally. This balance is crucial for maintaining both personal well-being and professional creativity.
Where do you think the biggest potential to preserve important local crafts in the contemporary context lies?
I think it is a bit difficult. It's complicated because you don't want the craft to be only a luxury. But with the time it takes and all the costs involved, if you produce in the country where you sell, like I do in France, it often becomes a luxury because of the time investment and expenses like rent for the studio. Craft in the luxury world isn't a concern because luxury brands need craftsmanship to maintain their quality and uniqueness.
The bigger challenge is integrating craft into everyday life. Handcrafted items naturally cost more than mass-produced objects, and it's a proactive choice for people to pay double or triple for something handmade compared to a similar item from an international brand. This is not an easy issue to resolve. However, there is a significant trend toward making things by oneself. This DIY culture is gaining popularity, especially on social media. I've noticed with a young intern I had, who was about 10 years younger than me, that she was very interested in various crafts and the associated social media content. This suggests that people are drawn to crafting as a break from screen time and digital life.
Workshops play a role in this trend. People come to my workshops and find great satisfaction in making something with their own hands. It's not an easy balance to strike, but I'm optimistic because people are beginning to appreciate the effort and skill involved in handmade crafts. When they try it themselves, they realize how difficult it is and gain a deeper appreciation for the craftsmanship.
So, while it's a complex issue, I believe that the rising interest in DIY and crafting workshops is part of the solution. Sharing knowledge and encouraging hands-on experiences help people value and preserve important local crafts in a contemporary context.
What upcoming projects make you excited right now?
I can talk about my three upcoming projects that excite me the most. This year has been full of collaborative opportunities, for which I am very grateful.
First, I have two exhibitions opening next week in Paris. One is a collaboration with the designer Maxime Louis-Courcier, who created a wall vase shape and invited me to add color and paint them as unique pieces. We've been working on this for many months, and I'm excited to finally show it. The second exhibition is also a collaboration, with Pick-Up Art Julia Bidermann, who is launching a gallery project. We carefully thought about and created the artwork we want to show together. Both exhibitions feature ceramics and have been incredibly enriching collaborations.
Additionally, I have a residency at Studio Mo-Mo. Adeline, who launched Studio Mo-Mo, approached me over a year ago with her project idea, and I've been following her steps to bring it to life. We are five women artists and five craftswomen, and we've met several times. I've been working with a glassmaker on a glass lampshade. My idea was to translate my ceramic work into the glass, focusing on colours and textures. Claire Pegis, the glass maker, had never worked with colours before, so she was curious about it, and I had never worked with glass. This collaboration has been very nourishing for both of us, and we are always happy to work together. We plan to showcase our work at Paris Design Week in September, hopefully.
Where and how can people engage more with your work?
Web www.camilleromagnani.com Social @camille.romagnani @spirale.paris
All photos by Nicolas Melemis. The first photo and marked photo 12 are from Camille's collaboration "Pick-Up Art" by Julia Bidermann. Photo 11 is part of Camille's collaboration with Maxime Louis-Courcier. Photos 3 and 9 are part of the duo show "Passages" at Galerie Variation.
