The emotional value of objects
Words: Tous Mag | Image Credits (unless otherwise stated): © Violaine Toth |
© Kristen Joy Watts
© Mateo Bonavita
Attaching a great importance to the emotional value of objects, Violaine Toth explores the curved forms of nature and applies this concept to her ceramics. Dark and mysterious, her untraditional use of predominantly black stoneware makes her pottery truly standout from the crowd. Appearing more as sculptures or totems, the pieces have both style and substance - decorate them with a plant, or drool over their solitary beauty on a shelf, the choice really is yours.
Generous round handles are Violaine’s personal emblem, creating a family of distinctly resembling children, each with their own peculiar traits that contribute to their ultimate uniqueness. We’re transfixed by them.
Sharing with us a line that she read from a recent text "Creative professionals do not have hobbies, because the concept of free time is lost on them" the French ceramic designer, now Berlin based, is certainly not shy of passion or dedication towards her work; establishing herself as an artist in a country that’s not her native country shows commendable perseverance.
Tous Mag caught up with ceramicist Violaine Toth. Read the full interview, below!
Tous Mag: How long have you lived in Berlin and what inspired you to move there?
Violaine Toth: I’ve lived in Berlin for almost three years now and I originally moved here (from France) for a six month internship with the product designer Anna Badur in order to learn how to work in the porcelain industry.
Tous Mag: What's your favourite aspect of your studio? Is a sense of community prominent?
Violaine Toth: The qualities I like to have in a studio is the unifying potential of space while simultaneously allowing me to isolate myself when I want to create in peace. I share this old Berlin apartment with other artists (digital designers, video-game designers, film makers etc.) and it brings a diversity in the type of people I meet, which I really enjoy.
Tous Mag: What enabled you to discover ceramics - how did you learn?
Violaine Toth: In parallel to my porcelain apprenticeship, I was working for a pottery studio nearby (Ceramic Kingdom) and learning the wheel by myself on weekends and evenings. After 6 months, they hired me as a wheel teacher. At that time, it was clear that I wanted to stay and build up my own career in the ceramic field. I ended up starting my own studio one year later in 2018 (come to visit if you're a ceramic lover!)
Tous Mag: How would you describe the pieces you make and where do you find inspiration for your designs?
Violaine Toth: I attach great importance to the emotional value of objects and, for me, a good design is a reassuring design. I see my pieces more like sculptures or totems. I use raw and sober materials to get as close as possible to an aesthetic that I would describe as transparent and intuitive.
I experiment a lot with the handles of my ceramics and use them more and more as structural elements within my pieces. I am more interested in forms than colours, actually. I try to think of the air circulating around my vases, and to see the shape created in negative.
I find inspiration in the shapes of nature and the curves of the human body. As I grew up in a forest region (Fontainebleau, France), trees and lush vegetation were always a part of my environment. The parallel with the body came later on through a photographic project with Elfox Berlin. In fact, the surface of the skin and the art of tattoos are very present in my aesthetic and my research.
Tous Mag: What materials do you use and does it confront you with any obstacles?
Violaine Toth: I mainly work with black stoneware and transparent glaze. It's quite a challenge as it's a very fragile material when it's unfired. It contains a lot of chamotte (sand) and it can be painful for the skin sometimes, but I don't mind because it gives a special character to my pieces.
Tous Mag: Are there any particular techniques or motifs that you use throughout your work?
Violaine Toth: The techniques that I use are pretty simple. First, I throw the base of my pieces on the wheel. I trim them and sign them. Then, I add long coils all around by hand to make the handles. I let it dry then fire them for the first time (the bisque firing). Finally, I glaze them, usually with transparent or white to stay simple and because, honestly, it's very difficult to find a colour combination that meets my expectations. That's the reason why I mostly work with black.
© Keegan Lutrell
© Josefine Aspvik
Tous Mag: Are there any other artists/designers/creators that inspire you?
Violaine Toth: Some of my most inspiring art movements are Art Nouveau and the Wiener Secession. I remember the architecture of Victor Horta in Brussels as being a real discovery in terms of movement and organic shapes. The Art and Crafts movement in general had a real impact on my production and my studies. Very soon, I developed a real interest in the history of gardens, landscapes, botanical photography - such as Gilles Clément, Andy Goldworthy or Karl Blossfeld - and everything related to plants and vegetation.
Tous Mag: Do you have any big ambitions you're working towards, or do you set yourself daily goals?
Violaine Toth: I do both. I'm honestly a control freak, so I need to set my plans for the day ahead and I won't go to sleep before everything gets done. It's intense, but it helps me to achieve my goals faster. It's difficult to be satisfied when one is a perfectionist, but I like to believe that one day I'll be happy with what I've made. My biggest ambition at the moment would be to open a big multidisciplinary ceramic studio in order to showcase and sell my work, as well as other artist's work, and collaborate with more creatives from different horizons (tattoo artists, illustrators, photographers, etc.). Pretty much what I'm doing now, but on a bigger scale and more organised. I'd also like to be able to travel in order to work in other potter's studios all around the world.
Tous Mag: What are you most proud of in terms of your designs, achievements, creativity or just generally?
Violaine Toth: Allowing myself to be who I want to be even if it means giving up on stability and rethinking all my understanding of a conventional society. I would say being able to sustain myself as an artist in a foreign country is one of the things I’m most proud of.
Tous Mag: What do you like to do in your spare time when you aren't making?
Violaine Toth: I believe that the notion of spare time doesn't apply to artists. I can't divide my time between work and "free time" because my brain never stops. In my spare time, I see my friends, meditate, draw and cook - like everyone, I guess - but there is always a part of me that is thinking of the next shape/collaboration/studio task. I just read an essay in Present Magazine from author and psychology teacher Frank Berzbach about the paradigm of work-life balance. He says: "Creative professionals do not have hobbies, because the concept of free time is lost on them."
Tous Mag: What do you like to listen to when you’re creating?
Violaine Toth: I love listening to Handpan, meditation songs, or classical music when I'm on the wheel. It allows my mind to ramble and process. Some electronic peaceful music, as well, such as my favourite song at the moment, “Trust”, by Christian Löffler.
