Gaëlle PIERINI Biografia

I have been an adopted Biot resident since 1998, when I met Antoine in high school. I immediately loved Biot because it had a village life, extraordinary natural sites and an atypical architecture and typology. I am the daughter and granddaughter of tradesmen, it's in my blood, and I was taught to work hard. Since my childhood I have been attracted to aesthetics, architecture, furniture and object design, and above all to materials that are transformed into objects that have a soul, a history, with an artistic and creative approach. To stage them in a space is for me an obsession. Antoine and my parents-in-law, Robert and Francine Begou Pierini, taught me about glass and the history of Biot. When I discovered this universe, I immediately pushed Antoine to take possession of this know-how, of this passionate profession, and to enrich it with a new vision and a new approach, less productive than in this flourishing period, in order to get even more out of it... works and installations each time unique with a perfectionism and an originality in each realization. For me, taking over the glassworks was natural and without any doubt. I had many ideas and objectives to maintain and develop this place with activities that could be developed. To enhance this 15th century building was also a primary goal for me. I love old stone and bringing it up to date has been a long and tedious challenge, but full of success and satisfaction. In parallel, I manage Antoine's artistic career. He is an artist with such an effervescence that he needs to be channelled because he is so full of ideas and desires. I have also done a lot of voluntary work with various municipalities that have asked for it. In all the themes that touch me closely, Art Trades, Culture, Biot-Tacoma Twinning, Tourism, trying to bring my small contribution as a consultant. And finally, I would like to talk about the people of Biot, because they are welcoming people, they open their workshops, their stories, their life experiences with generosity. They adopt you as if they had always known you. They are adorable, atypical with a lot of singularity and very strong personalities. This is what makes the Village of Biot a village like no other... I won't mention names because there are so many! Between the glassmakers, the ceramists, the jewellers, the sculptors, the painters, the illustrators, the designers, the sportsmen, the singers, the musicians, the scientists, the environmentalists! it's crazy how many Biot people have such a rich career path, it's inspiring and motivating! With my husband, we have therefore, in continuity with Robert and Francine, with the means of the time, opened our workshops to artists and students from all horizons in order to promote contemporary glass as a material of expression. And to touch the general public on all the possibilities of this living and vibrant material and the complexity of its implementation, by doing a lot of teaching. The glassworks of the Vieux Moulin from 1980 has become a Centre for Glass Art with an international scope by welcoming every year world-renowned artists in residence. The works we exhibit were all created in our workshop with the assistance of our teams. This corresponds to our values of authenticity and our desire to make glass art part of our local heritage, which needs movement, promotion and quality events. I hope that this place of sharing will bring Biot and the people of Biot an international reputation.