South Gironde: “the first contact with the public”, the graphic designer turned ceramist will exhibit her pieces in Villandraut

Julie Jacquemin, 29, started her career as a ceramicist to rediscover "simple values." She will be participating in the Potters' Market on August 9 and 10 in Villandraut.

Rather than spending long days in front of a computer, Julie Jacquemin prefers to watch the hours go by with her hands in the clay. Previously a graphic designer, the Balizacaise has been training for three years to become a ceramist. In a few days, she will make her career change a reality. "I'm going to participate in the Villandraut Potters' Market . I still have a few firings to do, but the pieces should be ready on time," she confides, enthusiastic and feverish.

The market, launched over twenty years ago, will welcome 37 ceramicists on August 9 and 10. At the helm of the organization are David and Lucie Anquetil, potters in Villandraut. They're the ones who taught Julie Jacquemin everything. "My partner offered me a pottery class, and I was immediately hooked. But I was scared to leave my job," she says. After a tandem trip across Europe, which provided a great opportunity for reflection, she decided to take up pottery for good.

“I wanted to return to something more natural, with simple values, that matched my environment,” she says from her corner of paradise in the heart of the Landes de Gascogne region. A few months ago, her home workshop was finally ready. There's a wheel, a kiln given to her by her mentor, and her first collection displayed on the shelves. Salad bowls, pitchers, tapas plates… “I like things that are raw, there's little enamel, the colors are sober. I want to make sturdy pieces that can be used every day.”

Since her first classes in 2023, the young ceramist has come a long way. "It was a long process, especially building my studio; there were a lot of technical details. And then there were failed or broken pieces. For a few months, I just kept turning things around, destroying them each time to start over." To "take the process to its conclusion," she also learned to create her own glazes (which cover and protect the ceramics).

Her teacher, David Anquetil, devotes most of his time to production. He only passes on his expertise to a few motivated candidates. "Julie gives it her all; she's determined. It's a growing activity, but to make a living from it, you need solid technical foundations and therefore regular practice with a piano at home. It's the same principle as the piano: you can't imagine taking lessons without having one at home."

After years of visiting the market, the young ceramist will be exhibiting this weekend alongside artisans from all over France. They will present their collections in stoneware, earthenware, porcelain, etc. In transition to her new life, Julie hasn't completely abandoned her former profession; she created the poster for the event. David Anquetil explains: "It's one of the 150 markets organized each year with the national collective of ceramists . In Villandraut, there are mainly everyday and popular ceramics."

Saturday, August 9 and Sunday, August 10, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Place du Foirail in Villandraut. Food, demonstrations, and children's workshops.