SAVCC: What got you interested in clay? Gianna: The first time I really started working with clay was in a 7th grade sculpture class. It was to be my first art class and we were just sitting an the very first day of school, it was 1967. I held a small piece of clay and just started squeezing and nervously forming a small sculpture of what seemed to be a head of a Buddha on top of a mountain body. I still have that piece. Clay, from the very first time I held it in my hands was able to transport me to another time and place. That first class of ceramic sculpture led me into a world of infinite possibilities. I could communicate better with my hands than I could any other way. SAVCC: How have the production pottery techniques learned in Japan influenced your career? Gianna: The training I received in Japan has always been a cornerstone for me as a potter. Through total immersion and dedication to the craft I was able to dedicate time and energy in learning all aspects of this craft. I learned that through practice and trial and error almost anything can be learned and mastered. Endless hours of learning a new shape pays off as the form is perfected and put into production. I believe the dedication to practice and learning has given me the will and stamina to not give up when things don't work out, but to take the time to figure out how to make it work.
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