ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tˈuː, hɪz ˈɪntɹɛst ɪn sᵻɹˈæmɪks ɛkspˈændᵻd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ɐ stˈʌdi tˈʊɹ ɪn jˈʊɹɹəp ænd ɪspˈɛʃəli ɪn ˈɪɾəli wˌɛɹ hiː mˈɛt ðɪ ˈɑːɹkɪtˌɛkt dʒˈiːoʊ pˈɔnti, ɐ mˈeɪdʒɚ plˈeɪɚɹ ɪnðə ɹᵻbˈɜːθ ʌv mˈɑːdɚn ɪtˈæliən dɪzˈaɪn ænd fˈaʊndɚɹ ʌvðə mˌæɡɐzˈiːn dˈoʊməs ænd ðə skˈʌlptɚsᵻɹˈæmɪst fˈɔːstoʊ mɛlˈɑːɾi.
In 1952, his interest in ceramics expanded during a study tour in Europe and especially in Italy where he met the architect Gio Ponti, a major player in the rebirth of modern Italian design and founder of the magazine Domus and the sculptor-ceramist Fausto Melotti.