Sophie Théodose – Contemporary illumination

Île-de-France – 1966

Sophie Théodose has dedicated her professional career to art and applied arts. She started it with haute-couture and especially dressmaking and fashion design. Then, in 2003, she decided to change her career path by learning illumination with a Master of Art.

In fact, she has always had the conviction that classical methods were essential to learn Fine Caft. This is why in 2005, she took lessons with Benoît Cazelles in his workshop based in Lizieux (France). Today, she still feels the same way. “Illummination specialty requires a learning process managed by a mentor who will teach the bases of creation”. Thanks to her training, she masters her know-how and creates under the inspiration of Middle Ages illuminations. Her imagination has a great place in her process of creation. It brings innovative and contemporary style to each one of her pieces.

In 2013, she opened her own workshop. She works with a contemporary point of view by creating illumination on new supports such as parchment, stuc, or papier-mâché. Colored with gold, silver and shiny pigments, her creations become artworks for private buyers, interior designers and designers.

Research and innovation

Illumination brings up two important questions. The first one concerns the origin of the animal skin. The other one concerns the highly archaic and religious connotation of this know-how. Sophie Théodose is working everyday according to these two thematics with an ecological awareness and an innovative point of view.

The craftswoman is using her materials with responsibility. It means that she gets parchment from particular supplier who furnishes leather coming from food-processing industries. The parchment is produced with witewash and does not need any chimical products.

She is very proud of her know-how and wants to highlight it as a modern one. That is how she has been developing the concept of “travelling illumination”. She releases the illumination from its origin support and so, she transforms it in a piece of art. The parchment is her essential material, but she also works with stucco or papier-mâché. Her objective is about bringing the public to contemporary illumination.

Will to transmit

Sophie Théodose always thinks about learning. “I will never have all knowledge about my know-how. Humility is important”. She drawns inspiration from her clients, amators, professionals, to imagine a new life  for illumination.

She taught her craft in order to make it durable and to share her convictions about it. Audrey is learning in Sophie Théodose’s workshop. The collaboration will to export their work worldwide.

Fondation Rémy Cointreau has supported Sophie Théodose to get parchment and a made-to-measure worktable.