The world is slowly getting less colourful, with car paint, interior design and – in Berlin – wardrobes all invaded with neutrals. But there’s at least one person here who is still colourmaxxing, and that’s Quebec-born ceramic artist Marilyne Blais.
Her handmade cups, oil cruets, candle holders, tumblers, bowls and – new this year – butter dishes are a kaleidoscope of kitchenware, individually thrown and glazed in an array of funky, fun hues. The style is vibrant and playful with shape and curve, and everything is set in a soothing airbrushed gradient.
“At first I made lots of generic-looking pots until I became more confident with the techniques,” says Blais, who studied visual arts at university and took up ceramics after graduating. “I also started to look at design movements like art deco, Bauhaus and the Memphis Group for inspiration.” Soon after, she says, it “basically became an obsession and rapidly took over my whole life”.
Ten years later, Blais is a full-time ceramicist, and her creations regularly appear at local pop-ups and art markets. Most popular are her cups and mugs; Blais herself favours her bulbous ‘Jug-Mug’. “It has a pretty unique shape … plus I like a good name pun.” At the beginning, Blais made piles of product to sell through retailers; now she mainly sells directly from her website. “[I] just produce what feels right to me and my body,” she says, adding that “turns out sitting at the wheel all day is hard on you!”
Of course, her days involve a lot more than that: there’s sanding, glazing, drying, firing, and all the studio maintenance and admin. But Blais says Berlin has been the right place to tackle it all. “In part because it’s a pretty affordable city so I could afford to build a studio here… but also because it is so creative and people here really go out of their way to support local businesses like mine. While I sell everywhere in the world, Berliners really are the ones keeping me afloat each year.”
The clay connoisseur also keeps busy teaching workshops for those looking to get more familiar with a pottery wheel – something that’s become an important supplement to her business. “World events like the pandemic, wars, inflation, recession, etc. influence how people spend their money,” Blais says.
“A €35 mug is a luxury good and not a necessity for anyone and I get that.” Her classes are a chance to share her skills and gather inspo for new pieces.“The biggest job,” she says, “is honestly just making and nerding out about ceramics with others. I love getting stuck into work and just getting creative with it.” – RW
