A former lawyer turned ceramist, Corentin Brison shapes clay with the patience and curiosity of a modern craftsman. Ten years after his reconversion, he looks back on his career, his relationship with materials and what manual creation has changed in his life. A warm and sincere interview conducted by Poudreorganic.
The beginnings of an unexpected path
Poudreorganic: Corentin, can you introduce yourself in a few words?
Corentin Brison: Of course. I've been a ceramist for ten years, based in Paris. Before that, I had several lives: I worked in the restaurant business, then studied law and art history. Parallel to my studies, I started ceramics as a hobby... and it became a matter of course. I thought about it more than my classes. After a while, I said to myself: I've got to make a living out of this.
Poudreorganic: So you weren't predestined to become a craftsman.
Corentin Brison: Not at all! But that's what makes it so exciting. I prepared for a CAP, found a small workshop in Paris and opened my first studio. I gave a few classes there, produced my own pieces on the side, and little by little everything fell into place. I then opened a second space dedicated to production, then a third. Today, I continue to teach, but I devote more and more time to pure creation.
First contact with the earth
Poudreorganic: Do you remember your first encounter with ceramics?
Corentin Brison: Yes, very well. It was thanks to my mother-in-law, who had herself become a ceramist. She had set up a workshop at her home in La Réunion. When we visited her, she'd let me try it out. I followed her entire training course in Burgundy, at Saint-Amand-en-Puisaye.
I was fascinated: the clay, the gestures, the workshops, the potters' villages... It was a living, sincere universe.
Poudreorganic: You hadn't yet thought of making a living from it?
Corentin Brison: Not at all. At first, it was a hobby. But the more I did it, the more I realized that this was my balance.
From apprenticeship to signature
Poudreorganic: Do you remember your very first piece?
Corentin Brison: Yes, it was a little bowl shot during my training in 2016. I still have it at home, and we use it often. It's very simple, but it symbolizes the very beginning of my journey.
Poudreorganic: Does your work today keep a trace of that first piece?
Corentin Brison: In the shapes, no. But in the colors, yes. But in the colors, yes. I've always loved raw enamels, in natural, slightly Japanese tones. It's a constant. Today, my pieces are finer, lighter and more accomplished. Above all, they're more like me. I'm finally able to bring to life the shapes I have in mind.
Poudreorganic: You often talk about your "signature mug". Is it your favorite piece?
Corentin Brison: Yes, it's a cup with a circular handle that comes back inside. It's a detail I came up with when I finished my training, and I've kept it ever since. Every time I make one, I feel the same satisfaction. It's my timeless object.
Creating, teaching, managing
Poudreorganic: There's a lot more to your job than just turning the earth. You also have to manage a lot of things around it, don't you?
Corentin Brison: Yes, completely. I work with two friends for the classes and workshops, but I manage all my personal production on my own: creation, sales, communication, accounting... I'm still self-employed, although that's going to change. It's a lot of hats, but I like this autonomy.
Finding meaning in manual work
Poudreorganic: A lot of people want to get away from meaningless jobs. Do you recognize yourself in that?
Corentin Brison: Totally. Before ceramics, I worked in very hierarchical environments, particularly in law and art studies. I worked for auctioneers, a fascinating but closed environment, often dominated by egos. I quickly realized that I didn't belong there. When I discovered ceramics, I had the sensation of a return to concreteness, to something real. Today, even if there are less exciting tasks - administration, the website - I still find meaning in what I do. No two days are alike.
Daily inspiration
Poudreorganic: What fuels your creativity?
Corentin Brison: Lots of things: exhibitions, photography, painting, sculpture. I also like to look at the work of other ceramists whom I admire.
But what inspires me most is architecture and places.
I often imagine my pieces in a specific space: a table, a café, a house. Wandering around the city, observing the buildings, is a real source of ideas.
Sustainability and ecology
Poudreorganic: What role does sustainability play in your work?
Corentin Brison: It's central. I produce very little, at my own pace. I don't have collections or stocks. I create mainly for the end of the year or to order, often for cafés or restaurants. This saves me a lot of waste.
As for materials, I use only two types of clay: stoneware from Burgundy and chamotte clay from Germany. I'm also careful about my water consumption: anything that isn't fired can be recycled. Nothing goes to waste. If a piece has the slightest defect, I reuse it.
Daily life in the workshop
Poudreorganic: What's a typical day like for you?
Corentin Brison: The first thing I do when I arrive at the workshop is open the ovens. It's a moment I love: you get to see the final result, like Christmas morning. Then I empty, fill and program the firings. It's all very concrete. And as I share my studio with other ceramists, it's also a time for exchange and discussion.
Poudreorganic: Are you dependent on the climate?
Corentin Brison: Yes, especially when it comes to drying. Humidity or heat can change everything. In summer, it dries too quickly; in winter, too slowly. If the piece isn't perfectly dry before firing, it can literally explode. It's part tension, part magic.
(End of part 1 - to be continued: fashion, Poudreorganic, and the daily life of the craftsman).
Corentin Brison - Between ceramics and consciousness
We continue our interview with Parisian ceramist Corentin Brison. After talking about his background and his passion for clay, here he tells us about his relationship with fashion, his discovery of Poudreorganic and his approach to everyday life: simple, sustainable and sincere.
Meet Poudreorganic
Poudreorganic: Did you already know about Poudreorganic before we met?
Corentin Brison: Yes, I knew the brand, and it's funny because it's linked to my ceramics practice. When I decided to launch my own business, it was also a lifestyle choice.
I wanted meaning, objects that would last, that people would keep and really use. It's a philosophy I find in your brand.
I wanted to offer pieces that had real value, that people would buy with a conscience. Two well-made cups that you keep and love, rather than ten that you buy without thinking. It's this same mindset that I found at Poudreorganic: simplicity, durability, respect for the gesture.
Poudreorganic: And how did this more global approach to sustainability come about?
Corentin Brison: It came naturally. My husband and I wanted to purify and go back to basics. We sorted, reviewed our purchases and thought about every single item. We wanted solid, fair and real. This also applied to our clothes: we looked for brands with natural, well-made, ethical materials. That's how Poudreorganic became part of our daily lives - first for me, then for our daughter.
Poudreorganic: Do you remember your first Poudreorganic piece?
Corentin Brison: Yes, a sweater that I still have, and a beige work jacket that I love. These are pieces I often wear in the workshop. The materials are beautiful and solid, and they develop a patina over time. And once you've tasted that quality, there's no turning back.
The craftsman and the garment
Poudreorganic: Do you attach real importance to what you wear?
Corentin Brison: Yes, but not in the "fashion" sense. More in the sense of comfort, sturdiness and gesture. In the studio, I need solid, practical clothes in which I feel free. I like to layer up - a t-shirt, an overshirt, a sleeveless down jacket - depending on the temperature and the day's work.
What I wear has to be able to live, to get dirty, to be damaged a little. I like clothes that take on the same patina as my pieces: they tell a story. And of course, when the material is beautiful, natural and breathable, you can't go back to synthetics.
Poudreorganic: It's funny, there are a lot of parallels between your work and that of clothing.
Corentin Brison: Yes, completely. There's durability, of course, but also colors, materials and textures. With Poudreorganic, I like the soft, soothing tone. It's never neutral or bland - it's subtle. In my work, too, I stick to natural colors, muted tones, with the occasional brighter touch to liven things up.
Nordic influences
Poudreorganic: We're very inspired by the Nordic countries. Does that speak to you too?
Corentin Brison: Very much so. In ceramics, Scandinavian countries have this simple, warm approach, where the object is part of everyday life. Fika" in Sweden, for example, is both a social and aesthetic ritual. I like the idea of comforting objects - a bit like your clothes, which have something soft and reassuring about them.
A simple life punctuated by materials
Poudreorganic: You said earlier that no two days are alike. How would you define your daily life?
Corentin Brison: It's made up of simple rituals: I arrive at the workshop, have a coffee, open the kilns and discover the pieces. It's a moment I love, full of surprises. Then I prepare new firings, turn, glaze and tidy up. And since we share the space with other ceramists, there's always a bit of discussion and goodwill.
It's a job where you have to be patient and attentive. The clay imposes its own rhythm on you: you can't rush it. It dries when it wants to, reacts to the weather and sometimes keeps its mysteries. That's what I like about it: it's alive.
Upcoming projects
Poudreorganic: What's next?
Corentin Brison: I have a big project for 2026: to open a location in Paris. So far, I've been working with retailers, designer markets and a bit of online sales. But I want my own open space, where people can come and see the pieces, have a coffee and chat.
I'd like this place to bring together everything I love: ceramics, of course, but also conviviality, food and sharing.
I don't yet know what form it will take, but it will be a place in my image - simple, warm and lively.
Poudreorganic: We'll have our first coffee there.
Corentin Brison: I'd love to. It'll be a good start.
✨ Interview by Quentin Frottier for poudreorganic.
