We love Almerinda Gillet's work and are honored to have her one-of-a-kind vessels and vases in the shop. Scroll on to hear about her life, process, and unique evolution as a ceramicist.

Though Almerinda's family emigrated from Portugal to France—seeking freedom from an autocratic dictator—in the 1970s, she always maintained some connection to her birthplace.

Today she lives between the two countries, in Paris and the countryside near Coimbra.

On splitting her time between France and Portugal:

"In Portugal, I'm lucky enough to be able to work as closely as possible to my inspirations and the movements found in nature: the ocean, the vegetation, the horizon.

In France, I work more in a studio, a bubble in which I draw on my memories and imagination."

Almerinda’s work takes inspiration from the natural landscapes she inhabits—rolling hills with olive and orange trees near Coimbra in Portugal and the dynamic waves of the Atlantic Ocean. 

“I observe the way the waves sculpt the landscape. I am fascinated by this whole universe sunk beneath the water with bits of it sometimes washing up on the beach. I think that influences me a lot.

My ceramics are always changing, too. I try to create works in perpetual motion—they have different identities depending on their interaction with light. 

New shadows are created, and flashes of shiny reflections can exist temporarily. You don't have the same vision of the piece in the morning and the evening, and I enjoy playing with these rhythms and temporalities imposed by nature.”

“My work can be rediscovered every day.”

Almerinda’s practice is rooted in photography, a childhood interest that developed into a career in art. Focusing on black-and-white film photography helped Almerinda develop a keen eye for light, space, and self-expression.

“I felt the need to express myself through images, to have my own freedom of vision. Being an artist offers a freedom I've never thought of giving up.”

When Almerinda started to experiment with clay at the age of 50, “it was a revelation.”

On evolving creative interests: 

“I realized that I could play with light in space and create ceramic works that evolved throughout the day according to the light. In my ceramic work, I play a lot with the shadows and contrasts that can be created when the sun shines on it.”

Almerinda's latest pieces draw inspiration from the forest—the interplay of moss, mushrooms, and dew first captured on camera and then brought to life in clay:

“My inspirations come from outside: the seabed, the earth's volcanic entrails, the biodiversity present in the forest. Once I get going, I let the stoneware guide me.”

Each piece takes a journey:

“My favorite part of being an artist is the moment when the pieces leave my studio and enter another world that is not my own. The fact that other people can make them their own, creating new dialogues between them and their interior. I love the idea that these pieces will have another life after they leave the studio, that there will be stories built and new worlds created around them.

As my practice is very much influenced by the places where I create, the fact that my ceramics can touch people all over the world is the greatest achievement of all.”

Thank you, Almerinda, for sharing with us! Almerinda Gillet's one-of-a-kind pieces are available in-store, with more pieces coming this fall.