Laurence Elle Groux
Washington Heights, NY
Laurence Elle Groux is an introspective self-taught artist working in stoneware ceramics and oil etching. The core inspiration of her work is the human psyche. Born and raised in a small village in Switzerland, Groux moved to the US in 1996 where she was immersed in the New York art scene.
Influenced by artistic practices and design motifs found in Pre-Colombian, Mesopotamian, Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Modernism and Outsider's arts, Groux’s ceramic works are tactile, curvilinear abstract sculptures accentuated by organic shapes and patterns. Her oil etchings further explore the possibilities of line and shape in intricate and delicate patterns of embellishment. Groux’s work inspires visual curiosity through the generous movement of material and coalesces as tangible objects of energy and beauty.
Elle’s work has been featured in group and solo exhibitions in New York, Switzerland, and Philadelphia and are housed in collections in Pennsylvania, New York, California, Switzerland, Canada and Mexico. Additionally, she is the recipient of Best in Show for Sculpture 2021 at the Ellarslie Museum in Trenton, NJ, juried by Dr. William R. Valerio, Director of the Woodmere Museum of Philadelphia, PA. She was recently in the BODY MIND SPIRIT four people group show in Chelsea, New York with Chashama. She was present at the Affordable Art Fair SPRING 24 in New York City, with Gallery LEG. This Fall, she is part of Art Lives Here "COLLECTING: An Art Fair at Westbeth Gallery."
She is working at present simultaneously on two new bodies of work. First, she is exploring new avenues with the "Healing Circles" series of drawings and working on sculptures based on the concept of Abstract Nouns. Abstract Nouns are that we cannot experience with our senses. I.E., Love, Hate, Fear, Hope, Solace, Innocence, etc.
A Conversation with the ARTIST
Tell us about your practice and how you came to making?
As far as I can remember I was creating in one shape or another but it only became a life purpose when I discovered clay by accident in my early twenties. It took almost 30 years to become a full time job. Today my practice is my life and my raison d'être. I feel truly blessed to be able to create every day, unless I'm sick from the cancer treatments.
Do you have a ritual when it comes to making/designing work?
Yes and no. I have some preferences. Without any preconceived ideas, I will often grab a block of clay and start digging into it with my fingers and look for a flow and the story emanating from the shapes that are slowly coming to the surface. Sometimes a “spirit” or personality shows up immediately and sometimes it is only after the sculpture is done that I understand its story. I just finished a sculpture that came from a drawing I made in the subway. This is very rare but I think I may be going back to my books and look at some older drawings and see if a couple of them would like to become sculptural.
You’ve spoken with us about how you let the clay speak to you while you work. Can you talk about that a little here?
Since the first moment I touched clay, I was mesmerized and it felt like home. At first, I would try to create a concept with a definite idea in my mind and the finished product would rarely be what I had in mind. I would feel disappointed and frustrated. It is only after learning to let go, to leave my ego behind and to simply lose the idea of controlling the clay that the magic happened. This is where I like to say that the sculpture sings.
Sometimes it is a struggle to let go of the control but 95% of the time, I let the essence of the clay be in charge and show me what’s in there. I absolutely love this way of working. It makes me so happy to discover new entities. Something that I created but I had no idea of its existence! It is marvelous.
Is your glazing process similar? Do you feel like the colors are kind of coming out of the piece while you’re forming it?
No, very rarely would I know the color of the piece while sculpting. It is once the piece is bisqued that I start thinking about their “outfit” I love to glaze and to give it its final appearance. If I am lucky I will only glaze it once. I have some pieces I’ve glazed 5 times! Glazing is the most difficult part. Once you enter the sculpture into the kiln you really are not in control. I like to say it is in the hand of the Kiln God. Once you open the kiln after being fired, it is either the best Christmas ever or you didn’t get the gift you asked for.
A lot of your work deals in these large, abstract feelings. What is the emotional state that you take on when you’re working in a really powerful feeling?
Honestly, most of the time, I am not in that feeling because, again, it would be me trying to be in control and not letting the essence of creation be. It is not letting what is supposed to come to life to heal me and others. My philosophy is that I am simply a vessel to bring forth the wonders of creation.
There are so many intricacies in your work that are unique and they still have a familiar form between them. Do you find the similarities in the pieces to be building blocks of this process?
Yes, absolutely! I can see over the years that some shapes are mirrored from an older piece. They are all from the same family. My style evolved, of course, but the spirit is the same. My hands have become faster at recognizing the movements in the clay and instinctively recreate some similar shape.
What’s next for you?
I want to create a series of wall sculptures! I can’t wait to challenge myself again and discover what’s new for my hands. It will force them to wander in uncharted territories of different shapes. I would like to have a couple of them ready for The Affordable Art Fair New York Spring 2025. I would also like to have a couple of public space projects. That would be super exciting to have people who are not forcibly into art, experience my work and its healing energy. No matter what I create, small or bigger, it is a true blessing. I do not take for granted the ability to create. I never know when it can be taken away again.