About Gioia Italian Gifts Company
Gioia Company founders, Kathy Winkelman and Lee Marie Michals, bring joy to those who give and those who receive with fine Italian and American-Italian arts.
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"I knew after a year-long sabbatical in Roma, that one day I would return and work again with the Italian people. I value the traditions, the family life, and the fun loving spirit of my Italian relations. Gioia, which means "joy" in Italian, gives me an opportunity to share these Italian Old World Traditions with others through unusual Italian gifts and home decor. These handcrafted Italian ceramics, masks, and other Italian arts allow me to pass the Italian heritage to future generations." |
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Kathy Winkelman, co-founder of Gioia Company
Kathy and Lee Marie met in 1974 when Lee hired Kathy, a recent Santa Clara University grad, as a travel agent. With her endless energy and magical touch, she taught Kathy that anything is possible. When she retired from the travel business, Lee wasn't ready to sit back and relax. Travel and the opportunity to work with honored Italian craftsman to bring Italian gifts and home decor to America appealed to her. The idea for Gioia Company was born.
The company, founded in 2006, is built on the strong tradition of Old World Hospitality, fine arts and time-honored craftsmanship. Kathy and Lee support a new generation of Italian artisans, both in Italy and the United States, maintain the interest in gifts from Italy and fine art handcrafted by Italian artisans, keeping centuries-old traditions available to their clients. Many of their Italian gifts are still manufactured by a family business or a single artisan, guaranteeing unique and unusual Italian gifts where no two items are exactly the same.
We love the handcrafted Italian art and home decor we carry, spending lots of time researching and meeting those in the business. Each handcrafted Italian gift we purchase is of quality, good value, and comes from someone who loves what they create. All the regions in Italy produce specialty art items for our enjoyment. We continue meeting new artists and bringing their creations to you. Some of our favorites:
- Our sorella artist Carla has opened the world to us through the eyes of la maschera, the Italian mask.
- The Murano Glass Pendants we carry are standouts at any occasion.
- Venetian Linens add charm and warmth to the home.
- The Italian ceramics we carry are both classical and contemporary representing various regions in Italy.
- High quality Italian flatware and Murano Glass stemware add the finishing touches to your table.
- Sorrento, Italy is a beautiful peninsula and from there we can offer you beautiful, detailed inlaid wood furniture, music boxes, inlaid wood trays, Italian cameos, and Capodimonte florals.
We invite you to browse our collections. We promise to handle your purchase with the utmost care and respect, creating joy for those who give and those who receive. Con ringraziamento!
