Twister #1, 2020. Constructed from stone-wear and hand-made in France.
Image courtesy of: Galerie Aqui Siam Ben
Olivia Cognet, the Los Angeles-based, French-born artist and designer, is the owner of the ceramics studio Maison Bisous. Since moving to California five years ago, the former accessories designer has been honing her creative skills by concentrating on clay. Previously a part of the high-end fashion industry as a designer for luxury brands such as Isabel Marant, Lanvin, and Sonia Rykiel, Cognet seems to have made the transition from silk and leather to clay and glaze effortlessly.
The designer’s passion for craftsmanship is as strong as ever and (courtesy of Echo Park Craft Fair), “The hands are the key whether it is for couture or ceramic, my artistic vision remains the same: a sensual mix of modern brutalism and feminine absolute.”
Cognet loves that clay does not impose boundaries; the freedom of clay is truly infinite.
Image courtesy of: Shoutout LA
A part of creative industries for many years, inspiration is not something in short supply for Cognet. She says that ideas, concepts, and drawings are always in her thoughts; sometimes, that leaves her with little room for the other things. With a mix of modern brutalism and feminist application, the designer is also inspired by designers such as Charlotte Perriand, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier. Similar to Cognet, these masters from the 1950’s were very “practicality oriented!”
Cognet hopes her works of art mimic photographs from a runway show… essentially, snapshots. She attempts to highlight the beauty of a hand’s movement and pays close attention to ensure that the shapes are organic, textured, and sensual. Always deliberate, the designer works at (courtesy of Shoutout LA) “doing everything as well as possible.” She aspires for her personality to shine through in her work; she desires to find ” the perfect shape, the perfect line, the perfect texture.”
Cognet in her studio with one of her designs.
Image courtesy of: Shoutout LA
Cognet loves clay because it allows her to explore every shape and size imaginable; she creates large bas-reliefs and giant totem poles in addition to more functional pieces such as chairs and tables, vases and lamps. Each piece is handmade by Cognet in her light-filled studio; the California landscape outside her windows provides constant inspiration!
Cognet stays true to her roots in the fashion industry; she still uses mood boards. A habit that she has kept throughout her entire professional career, revelations are mimicked onto a trend board where her research is spread out so that she is allowed the opportunity to “live with” the design.
A trio of Cognet’s pieces.
Image courtesy of: Echo Park Craft Fair
Growing up in Nice, France, the designer studied at the Villa Arson, an art school where the likes of Picasso and Roger Capron studied. It was not long before Cognet realized that ceramics was “her thing.” A move to Paris did not fulfill her the way she expected… Cognet realized that she needed sun and expansiveness. Arriving in Los Angeles, the artist found “the gift of space.” In Los Angeles she was able to have enough room for her kiln and wheel… and she found that the California sun, the nearby ocean, and the surrounding landscape completed her. Perhaps just as important, the mid-century design omni-present in the area was the final piece to completely finding “her place.”
Totem Collection; the series includes lamps, sculptures, and vases all made as graphic forms produced from red clay.
Image courtesy of: Olivia Cognet
Cognet initially explores her ideas on paper before trying them out in the local clay that comes in three different variations of natural shades. Minimal geometric lines are interwoven with organic movement. The roughness of the clay is accentuated by the elegance of the cracked glazes and through it all, the designer is careful to consider the medium’s purity as she hopes to make it a part of her clients’ everyday lives.