We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brigitte Bourgoignie . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brigitte below.

Brigitte, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I was born in Paris, France.
At an yearly age, I was always driving to art and music. My parents educated us as been able to know arts and music. We were going to museums and concerts
I started to draw a lots of watercolors for children.
I studied law in France, got married, had children and move to Canada then the Bahamas and finally in the US.
About 7 years ago, I realized I wanted to explore ceramics. I went to a week course in Copenhagen where I really know I wanted to work with clay.
My first teacher was in Mallorca, he taught me a lot and we were working with red clay from there.
Coming back to Miami I work with an incredible teacher who works essentially with porcelain. I felt in love with this medium.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Here’s your message with corrections for improved clarity and grammar:

I am a 67-year-old woman who discovered a passion for porcelain about 5 years ago. My husband surprised me by transforming our cottage into a full ceramics studio, which was an incredibly loving act. From that day, I began to slowly familiarize myself with the potter’s wheel, as well as the glazing and firing of my pieces. I went to an incredible teacher and started working with porcelain. While visiting my daughter in Newport Beach, California, I had the chance to meet the owner of a beautiful concept store. She began following my Instagram, and after one year, she asked me to create pieces for her store. It has been a fantastic journey of progress. My work reflects the feminine and classic woman that I am. I always add a detail of flowers or lace to my pieces. I have hosted many trunk shows at Aleph Gallery, where ladies have shown me the greatest appreciation. I hadn’t even realized I was truly an artist. Now, some interior designers are approaching me, and I hope to gain more recognition.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Society can support ceramics artists in several simpler and effective ways:

1. **Offer Workshops and Classes**: Local spaces can host ceramics workshops, helping artists share their skills and the community to learn about ceramics.

2. **Organize Exhibitions**: Galleries and community centers can display ceramics artists’ work, allowing them to showcase and sell their creations.

3. **Provide Financial Support**: Grants and scholarships from governments or private organizations can help artists afford materials and studio space.

4. **Promote Online**: Sharing artists’ work on social media and online marketplaces can help them reach a wider audience.

5. **Collaborate with Businesses**: Partnerships with stores or designers can offer new opportunities for artists to sell their work.

6. **Offer Education and Networking**: Art schools can provide courses and mentorship, helping artists grow their skills and meet others in the field.

7. **Commission Public Art**: Local governments can hire artists for public projects, which supports them financially and beautifies the community.

8. **Protect Artists’ Rights**: Respecting copyright and not copying artists’ work without permission ensures they are fairly compensated.

9. **Value Ceramics Traditions**: Appreciating the cultural importance of ceramics can help preserve these art forms and support those who keep traditions alive.

By taking these steps, society can help ceramics artists thrive creatively and financially.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was getting ready for my first big ceramics show when something went wrong: the kiln malfunctioned, and many of my pieces came out cracked just days before the exhibition. It was a huge setback. I could have given up, but instead, I chose to see the beauty in the imperfections.

I decided to go ahead with the show, presenting my pieces as they were, flaws and all. I shared my story with the visitors, explaining how these imperfections made each piece unique. To my surprise, people loved it. They appreciated the honesty and the message that beauty can be found in imperfection.

This challenging experience taught me a lot about resilience. It showed me that sometimes, the things that go wrong can actually turn into something meaningful. It made me more committed to my craft and taught me to embrace the unexpected.

Contact Info:

• Website: In process
• Instagram: Atelier.Brigitte.Bourgoignie

Image Credits
Photos by Ekaterina Juskowski Instagram @juskowski