A Unique Artistic Journey

Sophie Manessiez is a French-Canadian artist. After studying visual arts and communications, she pursued a professional career in events and finally discovered her passion for ceramics more than 20 years ago.

In 2007, she decided to devote herself fully to ceramics. Sophie follows several training courses in various workshops in France and Quebec. She obtained her diploma in ceramic craft techniques in 2021 in Montreal. Participant in various group exhibitions in Quebec, Ontario and the United States, member of the Quebec crafts council and the Corporation of Quebec crafts in Estrie, Sophie has received various awards and recognition for her ceramics creations.

After several years of practice, training and study, Sophie is now developing her own body of contemporary work. Her work demonstrates her attraction to the aesthetic of organic forms, lines, and repetition, where the interplay of material and form embodies the subtle delicacy that gives each piece its uniqueness. Sophie’s workshop is located on Mount Shefford, nestled in the woods and bathed in light. This environment is conducive to creativity.

Artistic Approach

My work explores the dynamics between uniformity and dissimilarity, conformity and singularity. Through these dichotomies, I seek to highlight how individuality and the fragility of living things manifest, connect, and interweave to form networks of resilience and collective strength.

In my ceramic creations, I explore subtle variations in forms and lines, regularity, repetition, and multiplication of small elements. Through the resulting patterns, I aim to reveal subtle and unique differences between each unit, thus questioning how individuality distinguishes itself within an apparently homogeneous whole. My process involves individually shaping each unit from raw, malleable, and formless clay, guiding the transformation into a rigid state. While some variations are intentional, arise organically through my hand and touch—an element of randomness I embrace. The material gains delicacy as I shape it until obtaining a light and fluid artifact, yet robust through its alliance with others.

I work with porcelain, whose purity accentuates fine details, alongside stoneware, known for its roughness and inherent strength. These materials coexist in a visual dialogue between fragility and resilience, reflecting the power of relationships, where connections create stability and support, and each element contributes to the strength of the whole. I explore interconnection and community, illustrating the movement that flows through each isolated unit to link it with others, forming a composite, resilient, and living structure.