Élise Hébert, co-owner, and Anicka Filiatrault, founder and co-owner

L’Ébauchoir: When Passion Leads to Expansion

In Saint-Jérôme, Anicka Filiatrault and Élise Hébert have created much more than a pottery studio. With L’Ébauchoir, they have built a vibrant community around ceramics. Today, their business is entering an exciting new stage of growth.

From Passion to Entrepreneurship

Ceramics have been part of Anicka and Élise’s lives since their student days. Although their professional paths took them in very different directions, their passion for the craft never left them.

As her interest in ceramics continued to grow, Anicka returned to school to complete a technical program in fine crafts. In 2022, she decided to take the leap and opened L’Ébauchoir, espace céramique, with the goal of sharing her knowledge and making ceramics more accessible in the region.

A Place to Connect… and Grow

Since then, L’Ébauchoir has become a true gathering place for ceramics enthusiasts. People come to discover the craft, refine their techniques or simply enjoy a welcoming space where they can work independently on their own creations.

With few spaces dedicated to ceramics in the region, the studio draws people from surrounding communities and continues to attract a growing number of enthusiasts.

The business has since incorporated, and Élise, who was already teaching at the studio, became a co-owner. With demand steadily increasing, the two entrepreneurs began to dream bigger.

From Tenants to Owners

Then came an opportunity: the chance to purchase a building in Saint-Jérôme that met many of their needs.

Anicka and Élise approached the MRC de La Rivière-du-Nord, which quickly brought CAE Rive-Nord into the project.

The project also represented new territory for the CAE, as it was the organization’s first time participating in a real estate acquisition of this nature. The team chose to adapt its support and financing solution to the specific needs of the project.

The collaboration paid off: Anicka and Élise became the owners of their new building on Saint-Georges Street in Saint-Jérôme.

The Confidence to Move Forward

Beyond the financing itself, the confidence shown in their project made a lasting impression on the two entrepreneurs.

“The CAE’s openness and the confidence they showed in our project, even though it was a first for the organization, were very reassuring. We are extremely grateful for the support of both the CAE and the MRC,” said the two entrepreneurs.

This achievement is a great example of what can happen when entrepreneurs and economic development partners work together and are willing to explore new approaches to bring a project to life.

And This Is Just the Beginning

With a move planned for this fall and significantly more space, L’Ébauchoir expects to double its activities.

Anicka and Élise are already looking ahead. Their upcoming projects include a crowdfunding campaign with La Ruche to improve the recovery and reuse of clay, a collaboration with the City of Saint-Jérôme to offer classes as part of its municipal recreation program and, eventually, master classes and activities designed for businesses.

There is certainly no shortage of ideas for continuing to grow this creative community.

A passion that became a business, a business that became a gathering place… and now, a new space to take it even further.

👉 Discover L’Ébauchoir’s courses and workshops on their website.

👉 Would you like to support their clay recovery and reuse project? Their crowdfunding campaign runs until the end of August.

Anicka making a bowl on the pottery wheel at L’Ébauchoir’s current studio.

A selection of pieces for sale at the studio

Coming soon: the new L’Ébauchoir