Gigi, a Queer, Los Angeles-based ceramicist, is the artist behind Gigi Ceramics. She has spent the last three years hand-building unique pottery. Her creations are playful, organic pieces of art - some functional, and all designed to highlight the natural feel and shape of the clay.
Q+A
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What inspired you to start your business?
- I was really just looking to pick up a hobby and I remembered loving ceramics in high school so I signed up for a class. As time passed I realized that I just didn’t want to stop haha. I wanted to keep making things around the clock so I decided to try my hand at selling my ceramics and it went well! My pieces seemed to resonate with people which further inspired me to keep going! Eventually, I turned it into a full fledged business!
Photo by: Gigi Ceramics
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How would you describe your customers? What do you think sets your brand apart for them?
- My target audience is definitely people who find the beauty in things that may seem wonky or “imperfect”. I think people are drawn to the playfulness and authenticity of my art. No two pieces of mine are exactly alike and that’s the way that I want it.
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What are some of the key products/styles offered by Hew and what makes them unique?
- My goal when creating my pieces is just for them to feel authentic in style. Which is why I love to leave the indents and texture from building, the marks where the clay is joined together, etc. This is also why I choose to leave a lot of my pieces unglazed. The clay has such an organic color and feel by itself that I want to enhance. I want my art to show the mix of human and nature that went into it.
Photo by: Gigi Ceramics
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Can you describe your personal connection to your brand and how it reflects your values and passions?
- I think the last two questions kind of bleed into this! I really think as I began to become more myself and more authentic, so did my art. And kind of vice versa. The more authentic my art felt, the more it helped me. Embracing the “imperfect”, the playfulness, the wonky is something I’ve really adopted into my life. That’s where I find joy and inspiration. And I think the world needs a lot of joy and playfulness where we can get it right now and art is something I’ve been able to turn to. It connects people and I strive for my brand to do the same.
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What are some of the prominent sustainability initiatives or practices that you prioritize during your production process?
- A big one is that I try to source a lot of my materials in my everyday life. I save boxes and packing material from things I and friends have personally ordered and those coupon newspapers you always get in the mail. I’m also a huge thrifter so whenever I’m at an estate sale or thrift store I’m looking for materials that can help me with my pottery. I’ve found so many cool molds, texture tools, charms, lampshades, and so much more. In a lot of ways I think that trying to be sustainable with my tools helps with my creativity. I can see the potential in items that have been discarded.
Photo by: Kyle Blatchford