Ulrike Weiss has operated her Ceramic Studio in Paris for the past 20 years. Since 2002, she has expanded her production to include glazed lava, the ideal material for her love of creating interesting contrasts in surface and color. Her product line offers a large variety of geometric, ornamental, or figurative motifs to create unusual and customized projects for wall and floor coverings. These tiles of glazed lava can also be used in conjunction with industrial tiles. A customized design can be developed in collaboration with you or your architect.

TECHNICAL DATA 

Origin of lava: Auvergne, France

Production process: The lava is mined from open-air quarries. Explosives are used to extract large blocks. Diamond saws are used to achieve finer cuts. Glazing and decoration take place in the Paris studio where pieces undergo several firings at 980° Celsius.

Usage: Wall and floor coverings for indoors and out, or tiles and tops for small furniture, or trivets.

Technical attributes: Wear-resistant, thermoconducting, frost- and fire-resistant.

Appearance: Dark, rough and porous, in interesting contrast to the colorful smooth glazed surface.

Sizes: Available in up to 300 mm x 300 mm (approximately 12” by 12”), and in thicknesses starting from 10 mm (approximately 0.4”).

VITA

Ulrike Weiss born 1963 in Berlin.

EDUCATION

1981 Graduatation from high school, Germany (Arbitur)

1984 – 88 Technical studies of ceramics at l’École superieure des arts appliques Duperré, Paris. Diploma in June 1988

PRODUCTION

Since 1990 Operating own studio in Paris. Design and production of functional objects, specializing in slip casting (earthenware and porcelain), electric kiln firings at 980°C and 1240°C

Since 2003 Production of glazed lava tiles for wall and floor coverings as well as for table tops or other small furniture; electric firing at 980°C

DISTRIBUTION

1990 – 2003 International Trade Fairs in Paris and Frankfurt

Since 2006 Craft and Ceramic Markets in France and Germany, Store Front design studio in Paris

COLLECTIONS

1996 Fonds National d’art contemporain, Paris

1998 Johann-Jakobs-Museum, Zuerich

1999 Museum fuer Gestaltung, Zuerich

PUBLICATIONS

1997 and 2007 Slipcasting by Sasha Wardell, A & C Black Publishers Ltd., London

2001 70’s versus 80’s, Arnoldsche Art Publishers by Roger Fayet, Zuerich

AWARDS

1995 « Form 1995 » Trade Fair Award in Frankfurt

2000 « Form 2000 » Trade Fair Award in Frankfurt

COMMISSIONS

1993 – 94 Ceramic forms and decoration for the firm Virebent, France

1997 – 98 Consulting for the firm Waechtersbacher Keramik, Germany

1999 Ceramic decoration for the firm Odin, Germany

2002 – 2003 Ceramic decoration for Kahla Porzellan, Germany

Since 2004 Collaborating with architects and decorators to create wall and floor designs in France, Germany, USA

TEACHING ACTIVITY

1993 Guest speaker in Ceramic Studies at St. Martin’s College, London

1995 – 98 Teaching position at the École nationale supérieure de creation industrielle, Paris

1997 Guest speaker at the College of Art Giebichenstein, Halle, Germany

2000 & 2001 Guest teacher at the School of Art and Design, Limerick, Ireland

2007 & 2009 Guest teacher at the Ecole supérieure d’arts, Brest, France

2011/2012 Teaching position at the Lycée de Sèvres, Paris