Contemporary Ceramics

Rousse Ceramics

Raw matter, creatively refined into contemporary and artistic ceramics.

Discover the world of Rousse Ceramics

Luminous ceramic sculptures, lighting and wall pieces bring quiet depth, texture, and contemporary poetry to interior spaces.

Rousse Ceramics is the creative studio of Loraine Savary and Stéphanie d’Ardier, two craftswomen who unite their complementary sensibilities to shape a singular ceramic language. Working together, they create luminous sculptures, sculptural furniture, and bas-reliefs that blur the boundaries between art, light, and functional object.

Guided by a shared love of simplicity and restraint, their practice explores the dialogue between raw clay, pure lines, and the subtle play of illumination. Each piece emerges through a collaborative process, from the first sketches to the final firing, shaped by an experimental approach rooted in touch, texture, and material honesty.

Their studio produces contemporary ceramic works that introduce calm presence, sculptural clarity, and gentle radiance to refined interiors.

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Natural materials moulded by hand

Shaping light, clay, porcelain and texture into sculptural expressions for contemporary interiors.

The studio explores the interplay between raw material and illumination, transforming their chosen mediums into luminous objects, refined wall sculptures and artworks, sculptural furniture, and fully bespoke pieces. Guided by a shared vocabulary of simplicity and material honesty, Loraine Savary and Stéphanie d’Ardier create forms that blur the boundary between art and function.

Their collaborative practice is rooted in experimentation and an intimate understanding of both clay and porcelain, working with each material’s grain, translucency, and tactile qualities. Through shaping, layering, and the subtle modulation of texture and light, they reveal a quiet radiance and sculptural presence within every piece. Their work brings depth, calm, and contemporary poetry to interiors, offering both collection pieces and completely custom artworks designed in response to each space.

Rousse Ceramics crafts contemporary ceramic works that elevate interiors through texture, illumination, and the timeless resonance of hand-formed material.

Materials

Porcelain

Used for luminous pieces and sculptural lighting. Its natural translucency allows light to diffuse through the form, creating subtle glows and atmospheric effects. Porcelain is vitrified and dense, with significant shrinkage during firing, which requires precise shaping and planning.

Earthenware

A more porous clay used for warmer, textural pieces. It has lower shrinkage and is ideal for large, sculptural elements or pieces that require a more organic, matte surface. Often chosen for plant vessels, wall pieces, and larger forms.

Stoneware

A dense, vitrified clay offering strength and a more architectural feel. It supports sculptural furniture, bases for lighting, and pieces that require structural integrity.

Clay selection

Every project begins with choosing the right clay family, depending on translucency needs, scale, structural requirements, and desired surface expression.

"Each creation by Rousse Ceramics is a story turned in clay, fired in passion, shaped for life."

Techniques

Marbled and grogged clay construction

Rousse Ceramics works extensively with red, white, and recycled grogged earthenwares, combining clays of different textures and colours to form natural marbling. The patterns are created within the clay body itself through layering, slicing, folding, and joining before the form is shaped. Each piece is made by hand

Hand shaping and sculptural forming

Each piece is modelled entirely by hand using slow, controlled building methods. Forms are refined and balanced with precision, whether spherical, wall mounted, or architectural in scale. Surface qualities arise from the maker’s gestures, revealing the character of each clay.

Gilding and glazing

Many works are finished with hand applied 23 carat gold leaf or select glazes. Gilding is laid directly onto raw or burnished clay, allowing the gold to settle into the surface and interact with natural textures. Glazes, including the distinctive cosmic blue, are used to create depth, variation, and light responsive surfaces that complement or contrast the clay body.

Burnishing & biscuit firing

Clay surfaces are refined through burnishing, sometimes enhanced with beeswax, to compress the surface and bring out a natural sheen. A careful biscuit firing stabilises each form while preserving the tactile qualities and subtleties created during hand forming.

Application & works

Each piece begins with shaping, a careful process of sketching, modelling, and refining the form by hand while anticipating how the clay will shrink and eventually hold light. Once shaped, the work undergoes a slow and even drying period that allows the material to stabilise naturally. When fully dry, it enters the kiln, where firing transforms the clay, strengthening the form and revealing its true colour and texture. Afterward, multi-part or mixed-material works are assembled, and lighting pieces are fitted with certified components and fabric cables. A final touch of sealing or waxing protects the surface while preserving the natural character of the clay and porcelain.