Laurène Elliott-Deyris is the owner of Terre Noire (French for Black Land) in Taylor, Texas. She is a clinically trained herbalist and her loose-leaf herbal tea blends, herbal extracts, and body care products are all made with the finest organic ingredients, she often grows or wildcrafts many of her herbs, including beeswax from her own hives.

Her ceramic art is botanically inspired, offering useful small dishes, spoons, and small bowls made from porcelain, black clay, and Taku-fired objects.

1. Why did you move to Taylor?

My husband and I moved from France to the Austin area to be closer to family in 2015. Not wanting to be in Austin proper, we found Taylor to be a good size for us with a lot of potential and knew it was going to be up and coming in the next few years. We were right! It’s a fun and quirky little town with good vibes and great people. We love being part of a community and supporting local businesses.

2. What compels you to spend time creating?

For me, nature is an essential part of my creative process. Spending time with plants, swimming in natural bodies of water, walking in deep forests are all ways for me to resource myself, meditate and connect with the botanical world. I’ve worked in a few different mediums from photography to ceramics and the common theme in my work has always been nature inspired.