The fantastical house of Antwerp ceramicist Roos van de Velde
Roos spent her childhood in a region southwest of Brussels referred to as Pajottenland, a land of rolling hills also known as the Tuscany of Belgium, where hops and beer take the place of vines and wine. She has always lived in close contact with nature and has inherited her love of plants from her grandmother: “I feel instinctively connected to nature, especially to trees, but also to flowers, roses in particular”. Her full name means “field rose” in Flemish.
Roos’s parents were hard-working entrepreneurs and Roos followed in their footsteps by setting up her own business as a potter. She studied at the Antwerp Art Academy, where she developed an interest in all artistic disciplines, from photography to fashion, to sculpture and jewellery. She acquired a fondness for ceramics, with a view to using the material in her daily life. Roos only works when she is inspired and the positive energy with which she creates her ceramics is translated into sheer beauty, and in this creative process she fulfils her desire to transform reality.
This extract is taken from Living with Art in Belgium (Lannoo, £50) by Fiammetta d'Arenberg Frescobaldi and Jean-Pierre Gabriel. Buy a copy here.
Jean-Pierre Gabriel1/10On the lime/grey sand wall, tree trunks gathered on a hike define the threshold that divides the kitchen from the living room. The choice of materials makes the most of natural elements and salvaged pieces, such as hand-carved stones used as floor covering, reclaimed from the cellars of a Brussels museum. Sheets on the coffee table, Japanese Kozo paper, thin and transparent, specially treated by Roos with natural products. These papers are defined as intentions: in fact, according to Dr Masaru Emoto’s theory, the structure of water can be altered with love and beauty, the result of our intentions and our feelings; and we are primarily made up of water.
Jean-Pierre Gabriel2/10The kitchen table was made by Roos using two live-edge planks, sitting on legs created with twisted boughs.
Jean-Pierre Gabriel3/10
Jean-Pierre Gabriel4/10Field of Flowers light sculpture, lamps inspired by poppies, Roos’s favourite flower as she defines it as “the rose of the fields, the most fragile flower, for its magnificent colour, transparency and slender velvety stem. When it opens up, it is wrinkled and once the flowers are wilted, whatever remains, like the seeds, is still beautiful. The red accents in nature are striking and are different every day, and then the rain destroys everything ... Beauty lies in the ephemeral.”
Jean-Pierre Gabriel5/10
Jean-Pierre Gabriel6/10
Jean-Pierre Gabriel7/10Images of the studio featuring part of the “perfect imperfection” collection produced by Serax combined with other unique pieces. On the wall on the right, some of Roos’s books are turned into pictures and the table features a number of creations by Roos inspired by mixomycetes.
Jean-Pierre Gabriel8/10Many objects from the collections designed by Roos are on display throughout the house, including “perfect imperfection” produced by Serax. Roos also creates cutlery, glasses and serving dishes. A set of dishes has been designed for the Fratelli Roca restaurant in Catalonia as well as that of the very famous Adriàs brothers. The fusion of inspiration between chefs and artist is interesting: the chefs’ dishes inspire Roos and in turn the chefs are influenced by her style and create food in the shape of petals for her dishes.
Jean-Pierre Gabriel9/10
10/10
