Join us in person and virtually for upcoming events & programs at the Museum. Discover art, meet artists, create, learn, and engage! Art and artists have the power to transport us and to give insight into pressing cultural, political, and social questions.
Skill Building Workshop: Steins, Beer, & Salt Firing w/T & Jon Pacini
Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1, 2023 • times vary • In Person • $300
Join us for this two-day workshop open to ceramicists with the ability to throw or hand build cylinders; you’ll learn to improve upon your throwing skills, slip decoration, handle-making and attaching, lid-making, and surface decoration for salt-firing.
First Fridays
Friday, October 6, 2023 • 11:00 AM–4:00 PM • In person
Artist Workshop: Modular Making with Natalia Arbelaez
Saturday and Sunday, October 7 & 8, 2023 • 10:00 AM-4:00 PM • In Person • $350
During this two-day workshop Natalia Arbelaez will demonstrate her approach to using modular methods of building sculpture while students work on their own projects using the demonstrated techniques.
Introductory Clay Class
Friday, October 13, 2023 • 5:00-6:00 PM & 7:00-8:00 PM • In person • $50
Introductory sessions are the perfect way to get your hands dirty, relax, and have fun! Learn the basics of throwing on the potter’s wheel.
Artist Talk with Jolie Ngo
Wednesday, October 18, 2023 • 12:00-1:00 PM • Online
Join us for a virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Jolie Ngo to celebrate the beginning of her residency in the AMOCA Studios. Ngo will share about her practice, past work, and future directions.
Espooky Drag Bingo w/Johnny Gentleman
Saturday, October 28, 2023 • 5:00-7:00 PM • In person • $20
Join us for a Queer Clay evening, filled with music, bingo, and more spooky surprises, all led by our favorite drag king Johnny Gentleman!
Opening reception for REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions
Saturday, November 4, 2023 • 4:00-6:00 PM • In person
Join us for the opening reception for REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions, showcasing a remarkable variety of ceramics that AMOCA has recently acquired for its permanent collection.
Open House & Holiday Market
Friday, Saturday, & Sunday, December 1, 2, & 3, 2023 • 11:00 AM-4:00 PM • In Person
Enjoy tours & demonstrations, explore AMOCA’s current exhibitions, and shop one-of-a-kind finds at our Open House & Holiday Market.
Skill Building Workshop: Soda Firing w/Johnny Arvizu
Saturday, Sunday, & Tuesday, December 9, 10, & 12, 2023 • times vary • In Person • $350
During this three-day working with Johnny Arvizu, participants will learn all aspects of the process of soda firing and have the opportunity to fire their own work in AMOCA’s outdoor kiln.
Recordings of selected programs are highlighted below. You can a more complete collection of videos on our YouTube channel.
Queer Clay: Artists in Conversation
Thursday, September 14, 2023 • 5:00-6:00 PM (PDT)• Online
A recording of the virtual panel discussion with Alex Anderson and Julia Kunin, two of the talented artists behind our current exhibition Making in Between: Queer Clay.
The Hotter and Gayer Narrative in Ceramics with Matthew Limb
Thursday, August 24, 2023 • 5:00-6:00 PM (PDT)• Online
A recording of the virtual discussion on The Hotter and Gayer Narrative in Ceramics, with scholar Matthew Limb and co-curators Beth Ann Gerstein and Pam Aliaga.
Virtual Artist Talk with Breana Ferreira
Tuesday, August 22, 2023 • 12:00-1:00 PM (PDT)• Online
Coming soon! A recording of the virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Breana Ferreira, to celebrate her residency in the AMOCA Studios.
Queer Clay: Artists in Conversation
Saturday, July 15, 2023 • 12:00–1:00 PM • In Person
Coming soon! A recording of the panel discussion with Nicki Green and Tamara Santibañez, two of the talented artists behind our current exhibition Making in Between: Queer Clay.
Natalia Arbelaez: Artist Talk
Saturday, July 8, 2023 • 12:00–1:00PM • In Person
An audio recording and slide show of the in-person artist talk with Natalia Arbelaez given in AMOCA’s galleries. Arbelaez shares about her practice, past work, and future directions in this talk celebrating her 2023 residency.
Kim Tucker: Virtual Artist Talk
Tuesday, April 25, 2023 • 12:00–1:00PM (PDT) • Online
A recording of the virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Kim Tucker. Tucker shares about their practice, past work, and future directions in this talk celebrating their 2023 residency.
Virtual Premiere & Awards Ceremony • 2023 High School Exhibition
Saturday, April 22, 2023 • 10:00 AM (PDT) • Online
A recording of the premiere of our 2023 High School Exhibition! This pre-recorded awards ceremony, hosted by Education Manager Carly Lake-Irigoyen, Guest Services Manager/Teaching Artist Aida Lugo, and Executive Director Beth Ann Gerstein, includes a presentation of the entire virtual exhibition.
Artist Roundtable: Feminist Explorations in Contemporary Ceramics
Thursday, March 9, 2023 • 11:00 AM–12:00 PM (PST) • Online
A recording of the virtual discussion featuring artists from the third chapter of AMOCA’s current exhibition Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay. Exhibitions Manager Pam Aliaga and Breaking Ground artists Jenny Hata Blumenfield and Julia Haft-Candell explore the influence of feminism on contemporary ceramics.
Virtual Artist Talk: Artist in Residence Christopher Suarez
Thursday, December 15, 2022 • 11:00 AM–12:00 PM PST • Online
A recording of the virtual talk with Artist in Residence Christopher Suarez. Suarez shares about his practice, past work, and future directions in this talk celebrating his Fall 2022 residency.
Virtual Artist Talk: opening talk with Artist in Residence Breana Ferreira
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 • 11:00 AM–12:00 PM • Online
A recording of the virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Breana Ferreira. This talk marks the beginning of her September 2022-August 2023 residency in the AMOCA Studios.
Curator Talk: Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay
Sunday, October 9, 2022 • 1:00–2:30 PM • In Person & Recorded
A recording of the curator talk in the exhibition galleries with Breaking Ground co-curators Jo Lauria, Edith Garcia, and Beth Ann Gerstein.
Virtual Artist Talk: opening talk with Artist in Residence Nick Vest
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 • 12–1PM • Online
A recording of the virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Nick Vest. This talk marks the beginning of his 2022-2023 residency in the AMOCA Studios. Vest shares about his practice, past work, and future directions.
Virtual Artist Talk: closing talk with Artist in Residence Colby Charpentier
Saturday, July 23, 2022 • 11AM–12PM • Online
Artist Talk: Blooop by Alina Hayes
Thursday, June 23, 2022 • 11AM–12PM • Online
Virtual Artist Talk: closing talk with Artist in Residence Kirstin Willders
Saturday, June 11, 2022 • 11AM–12PM • Online
Artist Talk: 50 Bowls, 50 States, 50 Woodfires with Elaine Olafson Henry
April 30, 2022 • 12–1 PM • Virtual & Recorded
Short Film Screening: Inside the Studio with Claudia Solórzano
Thursday, April 28 • 12 PM • Online
Join us for a peek inside the mind, practice, and studio of artist Claudia Solórzano. This short film will introduce Solórzano ahead of a forthcoming podcast which she will cohost alongside AMOCA Exhibition Manager Pam Aliaga.
Virtual Awards Ceremony & Reception: 2022 Annual High School Ceramics Exhibition
April 9, 2022 • 12–1 PM (Pacific) • Virtual & Recorded
Artist Talk: Connected Spaces: Cheryl Ann Thomas + Michael Rohde
Saturday, March 12, 2022 • 4 PM • In-person
Artist Talk with Ashwini Bhat: IMPRINTED, Assembling California
Saturday, January 22, 2022 • 12–1 PM • Virtual
Artist Talk with artist in residence Colby Charpentier
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 • 12–1 PM • Virtual
Artist Talk with artist in residence Kirstin Willders
Tuesday, October 19, 2021 • 12 PM (PST) • Virtual
Nicole Seisler: Holding Patterns • Lecture & Reception
Saturday, October 9, 2021 • 3 PM–5 PM • In-Person & Recorded
MIND+MATTER & Don Reitz: Panel Discussions and Reception
Saturday, September 11, 2021 • 3–5 PM • In-Person & Recorded
Curator Gallery Walk – Mind+Matter: Five Bay Area Sculptors
Saturday, August 14, 2021 • 4 PM (Pacific) • In Person & Recorded
Studio Visit and Sale with Grayson Fair, Artist in Residence
Saturday, July 24, 2021 • 11 AM (Pacific) • In Person & Virtual
A hybrid in-person and virtual event in the studio of Artist in Residence Grayson Fair.
Artist Talk with Grayson Fair, Artist in Residence
Tuesday, July 20, 2021 • 12 PM (Pacific) • Virtual
Join us for a virtual artist talk with Artist in Residence Grayson Fair. Fair has been an Artist in Residence at AMOCA since the fall of 2020. His introduction to ceramics was through functional pottery, but now his focus is nonobjective, action-based sculpture. Most of his work is wood-fired, a process of firing a kiln exclusively with wood.
Artist Talk for Amy Santoferraro: Two on a Lot, Three on the Tree
Recorded Saturday, July 10, 2021 • 4 PM Pacific
Two on a Lot, Three on a the Tree is Amy Santoferraro’s site-specific installation in the Vault Gallery at AMOCA. The installation includes a number of live documentary explorations of Santoferraro’s installation process, broadcast and recorded on YouTube Live.
ARTxSCIENCE 01: Recovering the Future
Recorded Tuesday, March 31, 2021 • 5 PM Pacific
Featuring composer and sound artist Ellen Reid in conversation with physician and scientist Carl Grunfeld, MD-PhD. Moderated by Andrew Vosko, PhD.
What can a Pulitzer Prize-winning artist teach us about healing? What can a distinguished physician-scientist teach us about creativity? What can collective trauma teach us about ourselves? Don’t miss this conversation about the post- pandemic world with two distinguished luminaries who will suggest ways that art and science inform our journey from here to there.
Closing Panel for Making in Between: Contemporary Chinese American Ceramics
Recorded Thursday, February 18, 2021 • 4 PM Pacific
To celebrate the closing of the exhibition, join Beth Ann Gerstein and the artists for a final walkthrough and conversation. Featuring Jennifer Ling Datchuk, Sin-ying Ho, Beth Lo, Cathy Lu, Stephanie H. Shih, and Wanxin Zhang.
This event took place live on Zoom.
In Conversation: Stephanie H. Shih + Mei Lum
Recorded Wednesday, August 26, 2020 • 5 PM Pacific/8 PM Eastern
A special engagement with New York-based ceramic artist Stephanie H. Shih and Mei Lum, 5th generation owner of New-York based Wing on Wo and the founder and director of The W.O.W. Project. Shih and Lum converse on a wide-range of topics, discussing art, politics, community, culture, and legacy.
Stephanie H. Shih
Stephanie H. Shih is a Taiwanese American artist exploring concepts of home, not just as a physical place, but also as cultural, generational, and emotional spaces we inhabit. Her work has been shown at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (Pomona, CA), Wieden+Kennedy (Portland, OR), and Hashimoto Contemporary (San Francisco, CA) and featured by NPR, Los Angeles Times, Vogue, The New York Times, and The New Yorker. She lives in Brooklyn.
Visit her website or follow her on instagram.
Mei Lum
Mei Lum is the 5th-generation owner of Wing on Wo & Co, the founder and director of the The W.O.W. Project, and one of the leading voices for placekeeping in New York’s Chinatown. In 2017, Lum was recognized as an emerging voice in the Asian and Pacific American community by NBC Asian America. She received the 2019 Community Builder Award from OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates and the Rubinger Community Fellowship from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. In 2020, she became a Civic Practice Partnership Artist in Residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
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