Violaine Ulmer

I am Violaine Ulmer. I am a designer working and living in the south of France. As a designer, I strive to make things that surprise, that touch and that please beyond the moment. Simple I love simple things. I don't believe in elaborate details. A hint often is so much more expressive than an accumulation of precision. You have seen a brushstroke of a Japanese calligrapher : Simple and touching. This is what I aim to achieve : Simple and touching. My predominant material is high-fired porcelain. I procure it in its raw state in the city of Limoges, in the heart of France. I love its whiteness, its fragility and its translucency. I often prefer porcelain in its natural appearance, i.e. unglazed. Glazing is putting vitreous enamel on its surface. Like on a plate or a cup. That's nice, and it serves a purpose for tableware. But for my work, I prefer the velvet-like roughness of natural porcelain. I love the fragility of its white. With porcelain as my main material, I add others. Oftentimes mild steel because I love its dark-blue color and its cold opposing the white, warm porcelain. My porcelain work is 100% handcrafted. The pieces take form by my hands, one by one. Inspiration My sources of inspiration are haute couture, architecture and design.