Artist Articles: Julie Bergeron
Julie Bergeron: Functional Ceramics Made to Be Loved
For Baton Rouge ceramic artist Julie Bergeron, the love of ceramics began unexpectedly at LSU in the early 1990s. She enrolled in a ceramics class simply for fun, never imagining that a year later she would change her major to ceramics. What began as an elective quickly became a passion—and a lifelong creative pursuit.
Julie’s work is inspired by the things she would want to own, use, or give as gifts. She gravitates toward functional pieces such as serving platters, bowls, and other objects designed to be part of everyday life. Her aesthetic leans clean, sleek, and timeless, with an appreciation for pieces that are both beautiful and useful.
Color plays an important role in Julie’s work, although she admits that achieving the perfect color in ceramics can be surprisingly challenging. She is particularly drawn to white ceramics accented with subtle pops of color and, most notably, gold leaf. “Gold leaf is definitely my favorite thing to work with,” she says. Rather than striving for perfectly precise lines, Julie loves the natural, slightly imperfect quality of gold leaf and the way it adds a distinctive finishing touch.
Commissions are one of Julie’s favorite parts of creating. She thrives when someone gives her a specific request or direction and allows her to bring the idea to life. Whether it’s a particular size, color palette, or custom detail, she enjoys the collaborative nature of creating something specifically for someone else. Her philosophy is simple: give her an idea, and she is happy to make it.
After stepping away from pottery while raising her family, Julie returned to ceramics during the COVID-19 pandemic—and hasn’t stopped since. Now a grandmother with a large family, her work continues to be a very personal creative outlet. She jokes that her family is always ready to claim the pieces they love, making her ceramics a natural part of family life as well.
Julie’s inspiration comes from many places, including homes, designers, magazines, travel, and the objects she encounters along the way. Big bowls, in particular, catch her eye. Ultimately, though, she is inspired by the opportunity to make something that someone will genuinely enjoy and use.
Julie has found a home at The Foyer, where she appreciates the welcoming atmosphere, knowledgeable team, and ease of being part of the gallery. She describes her experience simply: “I love The Foyer. The Foyer has been so good to me.” For Julie, it provides the perfect environment to focus on what she truly loves—making ceramics.
While the business side of being an artist may not be her favorite part, the making is. Julie would much rather receive a request for a custom bowl, cake plate, or serving piece than spend her time worrying about advertising or bookkeeping. That authenticity is part of what makes her work so special: she creates because she loves to make things, and she loves knowing those pieces will find their way into someone’s home.
Julie welcomes custom requests and encourages anyone who loves her work to reach out with ideas. Ideas are her favorite—and a great excuse to get back to the wheel.
Visit The Foyer at 3655 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, Monday through Saturday 10 AM to 5 PM and Sunday 12 to 5 PM. Come see Julie Bergeron’s beautiful ceramic pieces in person and discover a little bit of Louisiana.
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