Christine Federighi

FEDERIGHI, CHRISTINE, had a gift for transforming clay into powerful ceramic sculptures: whimsical folk animals, life-size human figures, environmental installations. Federighi, who was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer in 1994, died Saturday, November 18 after a 12-year battle with the disease. She was surrounded by people she loved. She will be honored at 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 28 at a memorial service at the Lowe Art Museum on the University of Miami campus. She was 57. Daughter of the late Egidio and Gudrid Federighi, she was of Italian and Norwegian descent. She grew up in San Mateo, CA. She is survived by her brothers Ron Federighi, Mark Federighi, and her sister Kari Federighi Mose and brother-in-law, Jeff as well as many loving relatives and friends. Her Norwegian Elkhounds, Tucker and Olie were a great source of comfort and laughter to her. A professor of ceramics at the University of Miami for 32 years, her work has been widely exhibited nationally and internationally. She was a five-time recipient of the Florida Individual Artist Fellowship and received an NEA award. Her devoted "clay" family of students, as well as colleagues and contemporaries, were inspired by her talent, kindness, vision and her strength. She was a mentor to many and leaves a legacy of both her work and her students. Christine's family would like to thank Bonnie Seeman who was her student, friend, like a daughter to her, coworker and caregiver for being such a godsend and angel to her while she was battling cancer, she was by her side to the end. Special gratitude goes to Dr. Alan Feinberg and his caring support team, who "saved" the artist, as we like to say for many more years than expected. They allowed us to have so much more time with Christine, as well as allowing her to continue teaching, mentoring, inspiring and sculpting. Donations in her memory can be made to the Christine Federighi Educational Fund at the University of Miami, and the Christine Federighi Scholarship at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO. To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.MiamiHerald.com/obituaries.