Maker’s Story
Catherine first discovered clay in 2012 in southern Aveyron, during a training-course at the Poterie de Lucante, with Marcel Muller. “My stay in Lucante and the discovery of clay made me realize that I had a strong need to use my hands and to work in volume” During the next 4 years she discovered little by little the world of ceramics and the infinite possibilities of expression offered by clay. Perfecting her skills with Thierry Fouquet at the Atelier Chemins de Terres then with Augusto Tozzola and started teaching sculpture to children and pottery to adults (2015-2020). Catherine now lives and works near Brantôme en Périgord.
“Catherine Dix makes ceramic objects and sculptures, strange tripod creatures of an incomprehensible nature, like little three-legged aliens with rough, raw and almost unfinished appearance, sometimes terribly witty casseroles, and sometimes completely headless. Particularly captivating because of the sense of mystery and the archaic origin they inspire, Catherine Dix’s bottles have a primary beauty, vaguely anthropomorphic, clearly structured.” (Simone Scaloni, Art historian)
The work of Catherine Dix Ceramics is a story of construction, assembly, emptiness and fullness, shadow and light. She evolves instinctively by confronting forms, changing places, starting again with others and gradually the balance is achieved.
Having spent her childhood in the Soviet Union in Crimea, Catherine finds an echo in constructivist and brutalist architecture, but also in primitive pottery, with a sensitivity for simple and well-constructed objects.
“I work on unique pieces or in very small series. I use different shaping techniques depending on the direction and the rendering I want to give to my work (potter’s wheel, coil-built, slab-built, stamping). I work with grog stoneware for its crude and primitive look.”
Images courtesy of Catherine Dix.
