Meet Elise Dufour | Ceramist artist & Ex Corporate Executive

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elise Dufour and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elise, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
My reinvention journey as a ceramist artist started in 2018 after moving from the east to the west coast of Canada. Guided by an aesthetic sensibility, shaped by 30 years of corporate executive work in the beauty business, transitioned naturally into art when by chance, I met a ceramist artist that lived in my seaside town of White Rock, BC.

In fact, it is as if my creative journey went full circle, as a young girl, I was much involved in the artistic world but that phase of my life was interrupted during my professional career. When I met my ceramic mentor, Gabriella Valeria Kardosi, 4 years ago, I started training in her west coast seaside studio. I then started posting my handmade ceramic work on my Instagram account and almost immediately was getting request to sell my work. At first, I did not think to sell my work but as more people showed their interest and were asking to buy my work, I realized that I needed to organize myself more professionally and launched my website www.elisedufourceramist.com

Launching my website in 2020 gave me the unique opportunity to create my own brand image aesthetic and show my ceramic work to the world.

My work follows the practice of Wabi-sabi… a philosophy that embraces the celebration of perfect imperfections…where the “Art of accident” is seen as a creative opportunity.

Since the launch of my website 2 years ago, retail shops started contacting me to carry my ceramic work in their shops. My handmade ceramic work is currently sold in shops across Canada. I was also approach by lifestyle businesses to collaborate with their own brand.s There is new collaborations in the works for this year as well.

What started as a hobby became a business mostly because I saw the opportunity that social media created and channeled that opportunity into a full fledge business.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
in 2016, when I retired from a 30 years Corporate executive job in the Beauty Industry I had underestimated the transition. At first, it was exciting to reinvented myself as a retiree and move from the east coast to the west coast of Canada. Once my new journey excitement period was over, I felt lost and found myself searching for a new purpose.

By chance, I reconnected with the world of ceramic and discovered a creative channel that led to starting my own business.

Thinking back, I am most proud of my capacity to pivoted and reinvented myself as a ceramist artist and business owner.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
After 5 years on the west coast of Canada, I moved back to the east coast and found a 150 years old sea captain house in the Old Town of Lunenburg in Nova Scotia. Lunenburg is a designated Unesco world Heritage site and attracts many artists from around the world, this environment is very stimulating creatively.

Because of its artistic attraction, there is more art galleries per capita in Lunenburg than any other city in Canada.

You can also find The Lunenburg School of Arts that offers workshops and artists residency programs, The Lunenburg International Academy of Music performance and the Lunenburg Opera.

My favourite spots in town are: SaltSaker for dining, No 9 coffee bar best cafe latte in town, Mom’s buy antique shop, Lunenburg farmer’s market, Ivy House Lunenburg B&B, Tulipwood for flowers, Dory Mate”s seafood shop,

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Gabriella Valeria Kardosi, ceramist mentor

Website: www.elisedufourceramist.com

Instagram: elisedufour1

Other: email: elisedufourceramist@gmail.com