From workshop to workshop: Fontbonne Workshop, sculpture, pastels

Born in Texas, I arrived in France at the age of 24, first in Lyon, then I settled in Burzet in the Ardèche region in 1980. Around the age of 50, my attraction to art led me to make my first creations in clay.

What I enjoy is seeing the expression of a feeling come to life. When I sculpt, I start from something inside me, with a simple idea that inspires the creation. From my earliest experiments, I naturally turned to figurative art, drawing inspiration from the human body. My attention to detail also quickly shaped my work. I am fascinated by the characteristics of faces typical of all ethnicities. Not having studied fine arts, I took sculpture classes with live models for seven years to develop my work.

My patinated terracotta works are often transformed into bronze in a foundry, where I accompany the different stages of the pieces’ creation. I often favour light patinas because they are similar to the terracotta that I love so much. For me, my bronzes are a new birth of my works, with a different feel, a certain nobility and permanence.

Each sculpture is a unique presence with its own density and emotion. It’s all in the feeling, a look, a gesture that ‘speaks’… simple, unpretentious… a palpable presence.

Recently, I added dry pastels to my artistic repertoire to express my love of nature and colour. Another adventure! I feel fulfilled with these two ways of expressing life.

From workshop to workshop 15 Local designers with a passion for their craft open their doors to you for a weekend! On the programme: studio visits, demonstrations and meetings.
Places are limited in some workshops, so don’t forget to contact them.

Atelier de Fontbonne

From Saturday 24 to Sunday 25 October 2026 between 10 am and 6 pm.

Free entry. Free access to the workshops.