Québec arts and craft artisans, members of l'Empreinte Coop

Our member artisans

Our artisan members are committed and dedicated to the democratization and promotion of Quebec craftsmanship, both locally and internationally. Thanks to them, the cooperative is a dynamic and unique place where each member brings his or her own personal touch and know-how.

All are committed to preserving ancestral knowledge while integrating new technologies into their practices. Their skills, often acquired in specialized schools or with master craftsmen, remain at the forefront of technological advances.

"For all the founding craftsmen, creating a producers' cooperative was a way of giving ourselves a boutique-gallery in our own image, and also a place where we could learn from each other and develop both collectively and individually. "Chantal Auger, ceramist and
founding member of l'Empreinte coopérative.

Bronek Kochanski, fashion designer

Tania and Bronek Kochanski create fashionable clothing and jewelry in their Montreal workshop. Their aim is to create a modern collection with a sophisticated, feminine touch.

SEE BRONEK'S COLLECTION

Sylvie Lupien, jeweller

Sylvie divides her time between small-scale jewelry production and the creation of research and sculptural works. Her favorite materials are sterling silver and colored cement.

view sylvie's creations

Renée Bovet, artist painter on silk

Renée paints works full of joy and vivacity. Her clean, precise lines and warm, vibrant, transparent colors give her paintings a rare intensity.

See Renée's collection

Marie-Christine Lété, ceramist

Sculpture is her passion and an integral part of her approach to ceramics. Her decorative and utilitarian pieces, made on the wheel, are raku-fired. This firing method gives the impression that the pieces have a long history.

DISCOVER MARIE-CHRISTINE'S APPROACH

Richard Hajj, jeweller

Richard incorporates an elegant marriage of materials into his jewelry, including local and exotic woods, silver, aluminum and acrylic glass. Simple geometric shapes, clean lines and crisp colors make these contemporary jewels veritable miniature sculptures.

SEE RICHARD'S CREATIONS

Julie-Soleil Nadeau, weaving and leather goods

Julie-Soleil creates luminous weavings inspired by the colors of nature. She also creates small leather goods incorporating her colorful weavings.

DISCOVER JULIE-SOLEIL'S APPROACH

Sonya St-Gelais, felt maker

The materials used in her felted creations are merino wool, renowned for its softness, and silk. Sonya dyes or paints her silks herself, which allows for a wealth of colors and gives her collections their artistic allure.

see sonya's creations

Lidia Raymond, jeweller

Lidia loves creating minimalist, meaningful and delicate jewelry. It's her way of helping women feel radiant and invincible every day, and rewarding themselves because they deserve it (and tend to forget it!).

See Lidia's collection

Elfenn Manrot, illustrator

Even in the heart of the city, nature always has an essential place in Elfenn's creations and animals are often the main protagonists. Her illustrations are universal, appealing to young and old alike.

SEE ELFENN'S COLLECTION

Sylvie Laframboise, cabinetmaker

Each piece of wood is unique and alive, in its grain, color, texture and patina. Sylvie offers designs that defy standardization and fashion, and that you'll be happy with every day.

VIEW SYLVIE'S CREATIONS

Les artistes verriers québécois Karina Guevin et Cédric Ginart, membres de l'Empreinte coopérative de Montréal

Karina Guevin, glass artist

Her approach to glass is innovative. Together with her partner Cédric Ginart, Karina pushes the boundaries when it comes to developing her creations. Form and color come from the depths of her soul and reflect her sparkling personality.

SEE KARINA'S CREATIONS

Isabelle Kapsaskis, jeweller

Isabelle creates as she travels. With the same passion. This raw energy is reflected in her pieces. She's in touch with everything around her, and then transmits it in her textures, shapes and colors.

See Isabelle's collection

Margie Mikliechuk, ceramist

Her work is both playful and functional, and she loves to create objects that bring out the childlike joy in all of us, yet are useful when we need to be grown-ups!

SEE MARGIE'S CREATIONS

Portrait de l'artisane céramiste montréalaise Sophie Cousineau

Sophie Cousineau, ceramist

"Inspired by nature, science, travel, technology, the infinitely small and large, extremes, contrasts, movement, I hope my work will inspire as much wonder as it does me."

SEE SOPHIE'S CREATIONS

Mathilda Lovell, ceramist

Traditional, European, African and Aboriginal inspirations blend in Mathilda's clay, and are reinvented through contemporary ceramic techniques.

See Mathilda's creations

Mélanie Laplante, glass artist

"I like to superimpose layers of colored glass which, transformed by heat, form a movement whose traces can be seen, different in each piece. I add my own touch, by cold-faceting angles following the curves created by the heat."

See Mélanie's creations

Pascale Viau, fashion designer

"My label is my baby. I've found my style, my path and a way of doing things that's in line with my ethical and environmental values. I'm constantly working to develop a product so that it's as environmentally friendly as possible."

See Pascale's creations

Katherine Paré, silkscreen

Superimpositions of floral, foliate and geometric motifs, dots and lines between representation and abstraction. The resulting textile objects: scarves, bags, dishcloths... are unique or produced in small series.

See Katherine's creations

Alain Laferrière, artiste ébéniste jouetier québécois tenant un jeu de bloc Inukshuks en bois

Alain Laferrière, cabinetmaker an toy maker

"Mes valeurs sont liées étroitement à mon travail. À travers la sculpture, je suis à la recherche de la simplicité des lignes, le respect de la nature et de l'environnement. Je cherche à créer des objets qui vont susciter des émotions, des souvenirs, de la nostalgie."

SEE ALAIN'S CREATIONS

Fabiola Castillo, magical crochet dolls

The idea of making plushies, sculptures or, better still, pixies, little magical imaginary beings, came a little for the art of magic... Each pixie materializes by mixing imagination, magic, respect for the environment, cotton and crochet.

SEE FABIOLA'S CREATIONS

Dorothée Bouliane, glass artist

"Glassblowing is an amalgam of concentration and delicacy, strength and speed. Glassblowing is a dance where you have to be perfectly on the beat to be able to enjoy this magic where the blower and the glass are in communion."

SEE DOROTHÉE'S CREATIONS

Guest artisans

Nearly 80 multi-talented Quebec artisans exhibit and sell their work at the boutique l'Empreinte. Experienced artists rub shoulders with young Quebec creators and designers.

In addition to our 20 member artisans, L'Empreinte represents over 60 guest artisans.

Thanks to our guest artisans, we can offer you a vast choice of fine craft pieces while maintaining our high standards of quality. Their creativity and talent greatly enrich the cooperative's
offering, and make our boutique-gallery a year-round showcase for the very best in Quebec arts and crafts.