Sharon THOMPSON, the clay master

Sharon has been working in clay for over 30 years, often welcoming students of all ages in her workshop, located within the beautiful gardens of Saint-Géran. During her ten years on the island, Sharon has been commissioned by a selection of prestigious hotels, including the One&Only and the FourSeasons, as well as various designers, architects and private clients.

Her expertise in graphic design has greatly influenced her creations. Her work stands out through the highly decorated surface of her ceramics.

' I like to combine patterns and prints: the leopard print and blue willow pattern, the brushwork technique and the printed fishes design, are amongst my favorites.'

Sharon has been imagining and creating objects from a very young age. Her main source of inspiration is Mauritius; its ocean, sea creatures and east coast breeze, bring with them some very positive vibes.

Each step of the creation of ceramic objects is unique. Sharon begins with a ball of clay, working on the shape and decoration as directed by the client or following her current mood.

'Working with ceramics is a long, slow process. It needs to be cooked several times before the final, glazed and glossy object, is ready for display or use.'

Sharon enjoys seeing her unique work on display in unexpected places and is excited to see, when turning over each object, the year a specific item was made. She explains that some of her creations were purchased over 30 years ago!

Fascinated and fascinating, the artist is already thinking of the future. She is currently working on a line of fabrics for a hotel group, using her designs to come up with exclusive fabric products.