Françoise Dufayard

Artist Statement:

Ceramics has been at the centre of my professional life since 1979. After 10 years of studying and travelling  I established my own studio  in 1988 at Rennes, the provincial capital of  Brittany, France . Before this, I travelled in the far east (India, China, Japan, Korea, Nepal and Burma) and more recently I have visited Uzbekistan and Tibet. Inevitably, my travels have had a profound effect on my life and work. When travelling alone everyday is new and alongside the stimulation there is a necessary sense of risk plus a need for the senses to be alert and responsive.

For me, there is a connection between travelling and my creative work, which is always direct and (especially with the large platters) never pre-planned. When I paint a large scale dish I become totally connected with the piece and work in an instinctive, creative way with the marks coming  through me,but not from me. There is no possibility of changing or reworking  a surface once it has been created. As with calligraphy, the brushstroke and the cut of the line in the fresh slip will not accept any return. I must breathe life into each stroke and then move on.