Profiles : Klawdia Proia

Klawdia Roy Proia was born and raised in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Like other young Haitians of the time, Klawdia was captivated by art in all senses, attending art classes every Saturday morning with famed Haitian artist Ti Ga. She moved to Washington D.C. at the age of nineteen and later lived in California, with her husband, Gianfranco, where art regained its grip on her soul.At college in California, she discovered clay, or rather, clay discovered her. After moving yet again to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, she took a break to raise her daughter, Isabella. A decade later, Klawdia rediscovered her craft at Broward Community College, where, under the tutelage of John Foster, she began to delve into pottery deeper and more passionately than ever before.In Fort Lauderdale, she has attended numerous workshops, learning the art from ceramic masters such as Steven Hill, Nick Joerling, and Ellen Shankin; however, her style is completely her own, as she takes her knowledge of simple vessels such as teapots, plates, and bowls, and infuses them with her Haitian heritage and the intrigue of Voodou symbols and culture. A regular at BCC shows and other art exhibits, Klawdia’s art can be found in collections worldwide.