Discovery of clay
After studying at the Amiens School of Fine Arts, where she explored ceramics with Bernadette Lhôte from 1972 to 1974, she discovered the power of working with clay in Paris with Polish artist Betka Baczkowska, who introduced her to sculpture and modeling in 1976.
My eyes were opened
In 1977, Sylvie entered the Beaux Arts school in Bourges, and trained under Jean and Jacqueline Lerat. “They opened up the world of clay to me, linking it with literature and poetry. Jacqueline Lerat established a rich, attentive, and demanding relationship with her students. She perceived each person’s potential and supported us in the search for the most personal, most sincere expression.”
This was a time of deep engagement with clay—its flexibility, strength, and character—which required her to find the most authentic approach to the material.
She also worked with Yves Mohy, a discreet but perceptive mentor with a refined and sharp artistic vision.
In Bourges, Sylvie Didier met François Fresnais, who would become her lifelong companion.
The pottery studio at Cliousclat (Drôme)
Sylvie Didier and François Fresnais spent two years in Cliousclat, where Sylvie discovered the technique of stamping and the world of glazed earthenware alongside the artisans of the pottery workshop, including Gérard Lachens and Catherine Vanier, amongst others. Nicolas and Olivier Sourdive succeeded their father, Philippe, who had assembled a remarkable collection of glazed pottery from different regions of France.
She was completely captivated by the joy and vibrancy of everyday pottery. At Cliousclat, she saw the possibility of working on decorative elements in collaboration with François Fresnais, who was refining his expertise as a potter.
A bicycle journey
In 1983, Sylvie Didier and François Fresnais embarked on a bicycle journey through Spain and North Africa, meeting traditional potters and discovering their techniques, materials, and decorative styles.
En Bourgogne
En 1984, le couple s’installe en Bourgogne dans un ancien moulin qui va devenir la poterie de Sampigny les Maranges.
Pendant une trentaine d’années, ponctuées par la naissance de trois enfants, « le travail à quatre mains » va se poursuivre à la recherche de créations originales très appréciées des amateurs, de l’assiette au plat et beaucoup d’autres objets usuels, jusqu’aux figures décoratives, avec les codes de la terre vernissée.
Ces pièces sont diffusées en France, aux Etats-Unis, au Japon, en Belgique et au Royaume Uni. Sylvie and François Fresnais participated in major French ceramic markets, as well as the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
In recent years, after the upheaval of their separation, Sylvie Fresnais Didier reflected:
“If I am still here, it is thanks to my relationship with clay and its creative power. The power to give life to an object, and meaning to my own life.”
She has since refocused on her personal artistic practice, with the support of fellow ceramicists who shape pieces she has designed, which she then decorates. At the same time, she channels her energy into creating new sculpted forms that emerge from her inspiration.
At the same time, she channels her energy into creating new sculpted forms that emerge from her inspiration.
-Sylvie Fresnais-Didier