In 2004, Catherine Nicolas wins the prestigious title of “best craftsman in France” for her trade: lacquer. Today, she is President of the Jury which each year selects the best craftsman for each trade. Catherine specialises in the restoration of antiques. Using Chinese and Japanese techniques, Catherine Nicolas is one of the few to work with vegetable lacquer called URUSHI in Japan. It is the sap of the tree Rhus-Vernicifera. Catherine also uses similar European products on a regular basis. Catherine is well known as a Kintsugi specialist, a lacquer Japanese technique for restoring ceramic. Among her clients, is the Chicago Museum of Decorative Arts, for which she restored ceramic pieces by Yoland Cazenove.

Catherine Nicolas’ 6 year training at « Duperré Ecole Supérieure des Arts Appliqués destined her to a classical career as Senior Artistic Director in an ad agency, for which she won the prestigious “Prix Stratégie” in 1992. At Duperré Catherine discovered lacquer, and in 1986, she backpacked across Asia, visiting lacquer workshops and learning in each. The following year, she taught the craft of lacquer at ADAC-CITY OF PARIS. In 1993, she quit the agency and worked full time as a lacquer expert.