At La Cresse Jessica Limongi Panek whispers in the ear of her glass pieces

Des créations originales pour les sapins de Noël. Midi libre – Maxime Cohen

Jessica Limongi Panek a ouvert son atelier au mois de septembre 2024. Une reconversion professionnelle passionnée.

In Jessica Limongi Panek’s workshop, the passion for glass and art shines through. First, in the multitude of objects there. On the right, the jewelry, on the left the workstation, with the oven ready to receive freshly blown pieces. Then in the description and the flow of speech of the owner of the place. No need to remind her too often for her to talk with great enthusiasm about her inspirations, her passion and this new professional start she made a few months ago.

The culmination of two years of apprenticeship after working at the MJC in Millau. “It's a subject that has always fascinated me. When I was little, my grandparents took me to see glassblowers in Collioure and I collected little animals.” So she decided to radically change direction two years ago to learn with other recognized artisans. “I left my little girl at home and went from glassmaker to glassmaker, to see and learn different techniques.” Among them, Pierrot Doremus, a glassblower with a cane whose creations are notably at the Espace des Métiers d'Art in Millau or at mirror makers Emma and Anne-Claire, graduates of the Paris Glass School who opened the Verriers du Palais in Avignon. “My basic project is Venetian-inspired mirrors, so I needed hot and cold techniques.” This is evidenced by the piece she is currently creating, which dominates the main table in the workshop, decorated with leaves and bubbles. “It was a completely different job with chemistry techniques, sandblasting…” She could talk about it for hours!

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Original creations for Christmas trees. Midi libre – Maxime Cohen

A tailor-made diploma

She still had to validate this experience in the field with a qualifying training course. Here too, the mission was not easy. “I looked for a school that taught hot and cold techniques and I finally found Imara, in Revel, which gave me personalized training and work on stained glass techniques.” To do this, she draws inspiration from the expertise of Yves Trucchi, Clothilde Gontel and Amélie Dupin, three artists she met during her year-long initiatory journey before her training.

The Venetian-inspired mirror as a specialty

Original creations for Christmas trees. Free lunch – Maxime Cohen

All these influences can now be found within the walls of her workshop in La Cresse, under the vault of a stone building with a commanding view of the Tarn, with the Pic de Suèges in the background. In the jewelry, decorative objects and mirrors, made on wooden supports cut out at the FabLab in Millau. Everything comes out of her sketchbook where she thinks about her creations before bringing them to life. “I make several, once I have selected one, I think about its design, with a technical part.” The glasswork blows this very fragile material according to its characteristics and in the modest capacities of the flame coming out of its blowtorch. “If ever Santa Claus wants to bring me a bigger blowtorch with a 15-liter oxyconcentrator, it would allow me to make larger things,” she smiles. Jessica Limongi Panek is only at her first pieces and the field of possibilities is still vast as the glass is shaped at the will of the one who already handles it with great professionalism.

The workshop: 7 rue de La Cressette, 12640 La Cresse. Two opening times of the workshop are planned, Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. I subscribe to read the rest