We first met Pauline through her mother, Cecile Molinie, an amazing photographer based in Paris. Cecile has captured a couple of beautiful stories for us and that is where we first caught a glimpse of Pauline.
Then we discovered that Pauline was creating a really beautiful ceramic line (which we now carry) so we immediately reached out to her and the rest as they say is .... history.
We sent her a few questions and here's what we learned.
It seems that the creative streak runs in the family, the photographs that your Mum took are beautiful. How has she influenced/inspired you?
Yes indeed, I love them too!
I think my mom (Cecile Molinie) has always been an inspiration, for so many things. The way she transforms things and places, transforms vegetables and fruits into the most delicious and beautiful dishes, creates wonderful gardens… she is always looking for beauty in the simple things of life. And she catches them with such an eye, as you can see in her photos!
I think all of this had a great influence on me during my childhood, and of course it is still influencing and inspiring me in my daily life today. I love her eye and I love how she captures life on her photos, always there at the right time. And I love the way she always tries to see things on the bright side, to find positivity in every situation and to see the good in people. She is very inspirational!
What drew you to ceramics in the first place?
From my early childhood I’ve always loved and needed to create things, drawing and painting were a very important part of my life for a long time.
It is at the beginning of my 20s that I really felt the need to create things that could be touched, that could be lived with and have a use… and I felt limited by the possibilities offered by drawing or painting.
As soon as I started to take ceramic lessons, I really loved the process, of a dreamed object emerging from a tiny ball of clay between my hands.
And I also love the glaze part and the infinite possibilities of experiment and creation it offers.
Tell us more about the pieces you are making and what was your inspiration/creative process?
I think, as a lot of creatives, I find most of my inspiration in nature. The way the light plays, the grace of a flower, colors of a feather or just a tiny shell found on the beach, all these things greatly inspire me.
The flower-shell plate has always been a shape that I do and redo, but I had never been fully happy of the way they looked before I made the first ones with this white glaze in a rush at the end of a lesson. A lovely lady loved them and wanted some for her home in early 2023… and I’ve been making them almost nonstop since then!
Did you always imagine a creative or entrepreneurial life for yourself.
Yes and no! Creativity is of course something that is part of my life as it is a part of me. I would say it is quite instinctual.
And all of this also started when I really needed an escape from my med studies. Now I feel like my life is more balanced since I started psychiatry residency last November, with real ceramics projects on the side.
But I am not going fully entrepreneurial for now! Maybe one day, who knows ;-)
Has it always come natural for you to do your own thing?
Yes definitely!
Do you have any rituals that you never fail to begin and end the day with?
I’ve just discovered the joy of gardening on my tiny balconies in my new place, and the first thing I do in the morning is watering and taking care of my plants. In the evening, I love to watch the sunset, as my apartment is facing the sun at this time of the day. And I almost always fall asleep reading, if that can count as a ritual!
Favorite place to travel to.
Without any hesitation the Balearic Islands! I love the mood and the nature there, in Ibiza and Formentera for example.
Describe your perfect Day.
I love summer days in the countryside, spending time with people I love, walking or biking through the fields and nature at the end of the day in this special place. Time really feels different there in these moments.
I also love a beautiful day at the beach, enjoying the sun, swimming in the crystal-clear sea and snorkeling with my sister. There are so many treasures underwater!
How does living in Paris inspire you?
There are so many inspiring things here in Paris. The galleries, the gardens, the museums, the tiny shops and cafés… This city is a place for creatives. Whenever I feel a little low on inspiration, I love to take a walk through the Louvre to see the antique collections of potteries and jewelry.
What part of Paris do you live in and what is your favorite neighborhood place to hang out in?
I live in the 5th district, close to my family. It is a very nice and calm neighborhood, and I love to hang out in the Jardin des plantes, where you can find all year long the most beautiful gardens and plants. I especially love the Greenhouses and the Galleries you can visit in this garden, always very inspiring!
