My workshop opening
Opening my studio in Florence was my Italian version of the American dream: working as an artist in the land of frescoed cloisters and churches filled with masterpieces!
This city, steeped in history and beauty, is a constant source of inspiration for me.
My studio reflects my practice. Sometimes it is open, when I like to let passers-by in, chat with those who stop, strike up a conversation or simply exchange glances; more often it is closed, when the piece I am working on requires concentration, silence and seclusion.
It is there, in this dialogue between matter and mystery, between visible space and inner depth, that my creations take shape.
Sculpture,
a complete art
Sculpture is a complex art form requiring skills in drawing, modelling, moulding and carving.
Drawing: essential in sculpture. To sharpen my eye and improve my technique, copying the masters and drawing from life are the best exercises.
Modelling: clay, certainly my favourite medium due to its malleability, makes it easy to bring ideas to life. It can be fired, painted or moulded.
Moulding: making silicone moulds enables me to reproduce my works in different materials such as plaster, resin, wax, bronze, reconstituted stone, cement or even chocolate if I want to have some fun.
The casts can be unique or limited edition and are ready for sale after touching up and finishing.
Wood carving: carving involves removing material, which is unforgiving! From marquetry to the sculpture workshop, it was during my studies at the Ecole Boulle that I discovered the captivating world of wood. It is a living, warm but demanding material. Each species has its own specific grain and density and therefore needs to be carefully tamed, not to mention the required substantial equipment.
Why the representation of the human body?
I deeply believe that the human body is intrinsically good and meaningful. It reveals to us the inner truths of humanity: our emotions, our suffering, our capacity to love and to live. Contrary to the idea that the body is the “prison of the soul”, I consider them to be precious allies to each other, sometimes in conflict, but always called upon to recognise each other.
This is why I intentionally choose figurative art as my artistic language. Through my work, I strive to embody the union of idea and matter, to bring out in the material I work with the inner mystery of the soul united with the body, even in their struggles and strife.
Figurative art engages the viewer in a way that is both sensitive and metaphysical, universally accessible. It enables me to give substance to the invisible, the unspeakable, to make the spiritual depth of the human being tangible.
My creative process
Whatever medium I use to create, my method is the same.
I seek to materialise everything I imagine through sketching. And that’s when I face the blank page. It’s a moment when I’m always full of enthusiasm and fervour because I’m embarking on a long struggle to create something new, and it certainly doesn’t come easily!
Then I consult the masters of the past and present, delve into my books and go to museums to sketch, with a more or less precise idea of what I’m looking for. I leave my studio to feed my thoughts with encounters and exchanges.
Once a composition begins to take shape, I invite live models to pose from life in my studio to get a more realistic and lively preview of what I have in mind. I experiment, I search, I dare. To create something new and bring out what I have inside.
If I have something in mind, drawing is no longer enough for me, so I model small-scale clay sketches to give me an initial idea of the volumes and transpose my idea into space. I make several of them, I adjust and and I hopefully end up finding what I’m looking for.
Then I prepare the materials I need to move on to the final sculpture. Once the work is finished, I can fire it or cast it to make plaster, resin or bronze casts, for example.
A statue... As a wedding gift
Giving a religious statue as a wedding or engagement gift is to choose a gift that is both unique and deeply symbolic.
Much more than a decorative object, it becomes a visible sign of a spiritual commitment, a silent companion that journeys with the couple through life.
Whether custom-made or part of a limited edition, each statue embodies the faith and values of the bride and groom. It places their union under the benevolent gaze of a patron saint, chosen for its special significance.
With its simple yet powerful presence, the statue naturally finds its place at the heart of the home. Little by little, it becomes a point of reference, an anchor. It serves as a daily reminder of the depth of the vows exchanged and gently invites the couple to refocus on what is essential.