In conversation with Marilyne Blais, artist, Berlin

Marilyne in her ceramics studio — *Marilyne Blais at her ceramics studio in Berlin*

Hooray, the fabulous Marilyne Blais who creates the most gorgeous colourful ceramics has said yes to answering my questions! I have loved her work for a long time and you will have seen me share it a lot if you follow me on Instagram. Her eye for colour is the best and her beautiful colour gradients are just divine. It has been lovely to learn more about her. I love how discovering her love for clay came along at just the right time and gave her a sense of purpose. It is clear to me she was born to do this! Please read on and be sure to tap the button at the end and visit her website!

Who are you?

My name is Marilyne Blais. I’m a French Canadian artist, originally from Abitibi-Témiscamingue, a remote region in northwestern Québec. After high school I pursued studies in visual arts—first in Montréal, and later in Vancouver. While in art school, I never once worked with clay; instead, I was drawn to mediums such as printmaking, fiber arts, and sculpture.

After graduating, I spent a few years moving between places. During that time, I held a variety of jobs—some in creative fields, others in the service industry — while continuing to pursue my artistic practice on the side. It was during a particularly challenging period, when I felt frustrated with the contemporary art scene and discouraged after a few too many grant rejections, that I decided to move to Germany and start fresh. Shortly after I took a ceramics course as a way to “shake things up.” It was love at first try.

Why do you also have a thing with ceramics?

Ceramic feels like such a natural fit for me that it’s hard to believe I didn’t discover the medium earlier. I’ve always been drawn to process-driven art forms, which is why I focused on textiles and printmaking during art school. There’s something deeply grounding about immersing myself in a practice for hours, returning to it day after day, and moving through a cycle that has its own rhythm — one that can’t be rushed or forced. Working with clay, in that sense, feels a lot like following the rhythm of the seasons: slow, cyclical, and ever-changing.

What I love most about ceramics is this balance of opposites — it is both rigid and fluid, structured and open. And as a material, it never ceases to amaze me. Clay can take on forms and surfaces so unexpected that they hardly seem like clay at all, continually revealing its limitless possibilities.

When did ceramics come into your life?

Ceramics came into my life at a time when I was feeling a bit lost and directionless. Discovering it gave me a sense of purpose I hadn’t anticipated, and it has since become central to who I am. I feel truly content — and a little lucky — that I found something that now means so much to me.

In 2017, about two years after my first time at the pottery wheel, I founded my ceramic label, and by 2018 I had opened my own studio here in Berlin. I’m still in that same space today, dividing my time between teaching and creating my own work.

Colourful ceramic cups and oil pourers — *Colourful wares by Marilyne for your home*

Where can we find you on a typical day?

When I’m in Berlin, I’m mostly pottering around the ceramic studio. My days are a mix of production, teaching, packing and shipping orders, and handling admin and social media. My work schedule would probably horrify most people — I’m a fan of marathon workdays and rarely take a full day off. I balance it out with plenty of travel around Europe and lake days in the summer. Getting away is essential for me to truly disconnect from work; otherwise, it’s far too easy to get caught up in everything.

I also make time for a few gym sessions each week, and cooking and sharing dinner with my partner is a priority — something we both enjoy that guarantees a couple of hours together every day. I try to see some art, spend time with friends, and soak up the city, but there are never quite enough hours in the day for me!

What are your plans for the future?

Planning for the future has never really been my strong suit. Honestly, I’d mostly be happy just keeping on doing what I do. A bit more stability and security would be nice — it’s not always easy running a small business in these unpredictable times, and I rarely get the chance to pause and plan ahead. That’s something I’d like to try.

At the same time — completely contradicting myself — lately I’ve been dreaming about ways to shake up my practice and try new things. I hope that in the coming year I can carve out time for a residency or something like that — somewhere to experiment, play, and explore and get away from the routine.

I usually manage to make things work, no matter what, so ideally I could just let things flow and keep on keeping on —while somehow also worrying a little less along the way. Yes, I know, very ambitious of me

Visit Marilyne's groovy website