Power of pink: Products show support for breast cancer awareness

"If we can do something that is really small to protect us against a much larger issue, it would be really silly that we wouldn't do that," said artist Robert Siegel.

That is one of the primary motivators in his support of breast cancer awareness activities.

The ceramics artist recently debuted his Baba berry bowl in pink and white and will donate 20 percent of the sale of each bowl to The Pink Agenda, a New York-based nonprofit that funds clinical and genetic research for, and raises public awareness of, breast cancer.

Fighting breast cancer is a cause near and dear to his heart. Siegel's mother and two aunts are survivors.

"It's just important," he said of his support. "It's important to protect women's health. Breast cancer is a major problem and can be prevented fairly easily with early detection and eating properly," he said.

The bowl itself is named after his grandmother, who he called Baba. Siegel said she always had berry bowls in her home and often gave them as gifts.

"Making them in pink and white was a natural progression."

He hopes to continue making a special pink and white item each year to help promote breast cancer awareness.

All of Siegel's ceramics are handmade in his studio in Los Angeles. His repertoire includes custom dinnerware, vases, ice buckets and bar ware.

Siegel was introduced to ceramics at summer camp when he was about 10 years old.

"I could go to the arts and crafts shack or to the clay studio. For some reason, I always went to the clay studio where I made some large sculptures -- almost as large as I was," he said.

At the time, he never thought about making functional ceramics or that he would even pursue the art beyond camp. Once he got to high school, however, he was reintroduced to ceramics.

"I got hooked. I was throwing pots all the time, skipping classes, making bowls and mugs."

He continued studying art, concentrating in ceramics, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and minored in business entrepreneurship. The business classes helped him realize the importance of learning how to sell his art and build a brand.

After graduating, he taught beginning ceramics at the university before heading to Jingdezhen, China, the birthplace of fine porcelain, to refine and hone his craft.

Upon his return to the U.S., he spent time in Philadelphia, eventually opening his own studio, before moving to Los Angeles.

The Baba berry bowl is available at rshandmade.com, Etsy and select boutiques.

Siegel's berry bowl is just one of many pink products being sold in October to support and promote breast cancer awareness.