Ottoman	Canaries	Petal	Contemporary	Medici

The Savane Collection of ceramist Tommy Zen unites the only pieces of earthenware designed and hand-made in Québec. These planters, urns, vases, jars and amphorae have an avant-garde design which grants them enormous beauty and timelessness, since with time it is possible to modify the colour of a piece and adapt it to a changing décor.

The collection is named after the place where it was created, the Haut-Richelieu savannah (savane), 25 years ago. This region was the ceramics capital of Québec for over a century.

Produced in limited editions, the pieces meet opening dimension standards (15 to 70 cm), which allows for pots to be perfectly hidden.

The creation process, almost exclusively traditional, minimizes environmental impact while giving each piece maximum strength, something that is impossible to find in cheap imported products.

Design
The Savane Collection is the product of a multicultural synthesis. Their designer was indeed inspired by shapes and textures from every continent, more specifically from regions of the Mediterranean, Asia and Africa.

Each matrix is made by ceramist and designer Tommy Zen by means of coiling. With patience and thoroughness, he develops, refines and starts again until he reaches desired proportions and lines.

Creation
With the exception of the vessels' lips which are made in turn, each piece is crafted, moulded, and then turned by hand. Depending on the desired result, the smooth surface can garner its own texture, which gives it its own unique personality.

Baking is a single-step process which requires a temperature of 2000 ºF, i.e. the temperature of vitrification, which reduces baking-induced fumes, while also producing extremely resistant pieces.

Next is the colouring stage in which the piece receives a color unique to the collection to which it belongs, quite distinct from what can be offered by traditional pottery. The cladding, also highly resistant to shock, is well-suited for retouches, which is particularly useful when the piece is placed in a public or high traffic space.

Finally, each piece is waterproofed, thereby preventing damage caused by water infiltration.

Art and Nature
The art of ceramics is based on the earth as raw material. 15 years ago, Tommy Zen developed an earthenware recycling technique out of respect for nature that he proudly puts into practice. Each piece can thus contain up to 75% of recycled earthenware, which contributes to reducing emissions while also optimising the use of the resource.

Radiance
The Savane Collection’s radiance is a reflection of Tommy Zen’s sources of inspiration, which stem from various parts of the world. In Québec, his pieces can be admired in the Assemblée Nationale collection, in casinos, at the Place Ville-Marie, the Citadelle and the Bell Tower. His work is also appreciated by managers of prestigious rental buildings, architects, interior designers and landscape architects who integrate the pieces to their customers’ décors, both inside and outside.