Jennifer Giancone

By Nick Ngo

Throughout her high school years, Mt. Hood Community College student Jennifer Giancone took general art classes because she was creative. However, she was searching for a medium and she didn’t know which aspect of art she was good at or what she was passionate about. Going through the different art classes offered at MHCC, Giancone found ceramics to be her niche.

“I think as an artist you should definitely be open to working in different mediums and learning different techniques to express yourself,” Giancone said.

Giancone is a first-year student who is majoring in art. She submitted three art pieces into the Visual Arts Student Show, the art pieces are a brass bowl, ceramic bowl and a ring. Giancone is excited because this is her first time for publicly displaying her work. Not only does she think the exhibit is a good chance for her to display her work, but also observe other student’s work as well.

“I think its cool to see other students’ work,” Giancone said. “To see what they’re doing and what they’re up to.”

She decided to take ceramics because she thought it would be a fun experience. She says the process of ceramics doesn’t happen in one day, it takes time. Giancone says attending art classes at MHCC has opened up her mind to the world of ceramics.

“You can learn so much about the different kind of clays, and the glazes, and the fires–­the ranges are endless,” Giancone said. “So it’s really exciting.”
She found the process of ceramics to be spiritual.

“Your creativity comes from when you’re throwing the pot, that’s when you’re going to make the decision of what it’s going to become,” Giancone said. “You can get all spiritual about it, I guess.”

Giancone also likes her sculpture class as well. She said her teacher challenges her a lot, which helps her think alternatively and to think outside the box.

Looking to the future, Giancone does not know if this how she would make money. She said if she’s able to make money then that would be great, but that’s not her real intention.

“It seems like now-a-days a lot of people think you should sell everything you make. It would be great to sell things but that’s not really my goal,” Giancone said. “I’m just working at what I need to express.”

Giancone has made over 40 art pieces, which will go into the Anagama kiln at the end of May. Her artwork will go on sale along with other ceramic students’ work in the Student Wood Fire Pottery Sale June 5-8 in the Visual Arts Gallery.