Marie’s journey started in a local studio in China among philosophical conversations and methodic learning. The craftsmanship she discovered on her travels around Asia, from textile to religious objects, were vital inspiration alongside the cultures themselves. Witnessing people make time for what matters most to them – celebrate deities, caring for elders – convinced Marie of the importance of the creation process, as much as the finished product. Marie’s early days of Chinese-inspired ceramic making were built upon and enriched in San Francisco were material exploration and self-expression prevail. The birth of Atelier Martin is the story of these strands coming together, forming in a collection that is decorative yet functional; an oasis for the overstimulated senses; a celebration of ethnic design fused with understated simplicity.