Marie-Anne Thieffry is our artisan of the month!

This episode of the Artisan of the Month is dedicated to the lacemaker on cardboard, Marie-Anne Thieffry. Exceptional craftswoman, she sublimates the material by transforming it into a work of art. In this video, she tells us about her artistic adventure with cardboard.

Marie-Anne Thieffry, cardboard lace maker

This know-how is very recent, and Marie-Anne Thieffry remains a pioneer in this very particular profession. With her upcycling spirit, she reuses used cardboard to create. Some of them have traveled around the world several times. The craftswoman is part of an environmental responsibility approach and demonstrates that craftsmanship can be a solution in the world of tomorrow.

But this bias does not define the work of the craftswoman. Indeed, a real complicity takes place between the two companions and Marie-Anne Thieffry realizes each of her works with sensibility and poetry. With a deep respect for her material, she cuts it, molds it or glues it and creates sculptures but also pieces such as lamps or armchairs.

The trade

Initially an art director for more than 20 years in a communication agency, Marie-Anne Thieffry has been caught up by her desire to create with her own hands and to confront the material. At the beginning, she gets to know cardboard and experiments it. Little by little, her style appears, settles, and evolves. The craftswoman knows everything about cardboard and brings out its invisible parts such as the fluting which she is specialized in.

The technique

Her favourite part of the process is the lacework. This part of the creation gives her infinite freedom as she lets the cardboard go. As a result, it takes place on its own accord on the structure. But she does not forget the importance of the hand which also plays its role of guide to perfect this lace.

The handover

Eager to make her new profession last and evolve, Marie-Anne Thieffry attaches great importance to transmission. Indeed, it is for her a way to transmit both her upcycling approach and her know-how and techniques. Moreover, passing on is not a one-way street and the craftswoman is convinced that her trainees “make her evolve as much as she passes on her passion”.

For more than 15 years, Marie-Anne Thieffry has cut all her boxes by hand with a cutter. Fondation Rémy Cointreau helped her acquire a digital cutting machine. This help allowed her to develop her production but especially to realize more complex pieces.