Pictured: Beth Lo, Chinese American Cuisine, 2022. 11.25 x 9 x 5.5 in. Ceramic. Museum purchase with funds provided by MAW, honoring a group of friends; collection of AMOCA.

November @AMOCA

We’re ready to unveil our most recent acquisitions at AMOCA, and you’re invited! REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions 2020-2023 opens this week in the Armstrong Gallery. This exhibition invites visitors to explore the range of  vibrant, serious, tactile, diverse, iconic, and playful pieces the museum has acquired as well as to learn more about the acquisitions process. Saturday, November 4 is the opening reception for REVEAL, and we look forward to seeing you there! 

Also this month, you can get behind-the-scenes insights from ceramic artists and learn about the social and cultural contexts that inspire their work. Cj Jilek, creator of Systematic Erosion, offers an in-person talk in the AMOCA galleries on Saturday, November 11. Our Queer Clay: Artists in Conversation series presents a virtual event with artists Mark Burns and Vick Quezada on Thursday, November 16. And, on Wednesday, November 29, zoom into a virtual talk with Artist in Residence Claudia V. Solórzano, who will share about her artistic practice and work created during her residency.

Other opportunities at AMOCA are First Fridays, when you can choose your own ticket prices and enjoy current exhibitions, coming this Friday, November 3. And, on Friday, November 17, you can join Members Clay Day and learn the basics of painting with underglaze; this 90-minute class is complimentary for members. Not yet a member or need to renew? You can call us at 909-865-3146 or visit our membership page to renew or purchase a membership online.

Would you like to get more involved at AMOCA? Our Docent Program is accepting new volunteers. We’ll train you to give educational exhibition tours to school children, clubs, or special interest groups. Docents make a world of a difference in meeting our mission, and get a sense of satisfaction from their important contributions.

Be sure to save the date for our upcoming Open House & Holiday Market December 1, 2, and 3! You’ll have three days to enjoy tours & demonstrations, explore AMOCA’s current exhibitions, and shop one-of-a-kind finds at our Open House & Holiday Market. Admission is complimentary with advance registration.

Thank you for being a partner in AMOCA’s mission to champion the ceramic arts! We look forward to welcoming you to the museum Friday through Sunday, from 11 AM to 4 PM. Museum tickets may be purchased at the door when you arrive.

See you soon,

Genevieve Kaplan
Associate Director of Communications & Stewardship


Upcoming Programs & Events

Pictured: Visitors explore From a Gift to a Collection: Igal & Diane Silber

First Fridays at AMOCA

Friday, November 3 • 11:00 AM–4:00 PM • In-person

Thanks to generous support from AMOCA’s Board of Directors, Museum admission for First Fridays at AMOCA is pay what you can (while tickets last). Each month, visit the Museum and choose your own ticket prices!

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Pictured: Mette Maya Gregersen, Stalactites (detail). Porcelain slip, 2018.

Opening Reception for REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions 2020-2023

Saturday, November 4, 2023 • 4:00–6:00 PM • In Person

Join us for the opening reception for REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions 2020-2023, showcasing a remarkable variety of ceramics that AMOCA has recently acquired for its permanent collection. 

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Pictured: Cj Jilek, Autonomy Deteriorated: The Unacknowledged Aftermath (detail), 2023. Ceramic, underglaze, slip, acrylics. Collection of the Artist.

Artist Talk with Cj Jilek

Saturday, November 11, 2023 • 12:00–1:00 PM • In Person

Join us for an artist talk in the AMOCA Galleries with Cj Jilek, creator of Systematic Erosion. Gain insight into how inspiration, concept, and process works for Cj Jilek. The artist will dive into the cultural and social contexts that have influenced her artistic process.

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Pictured: view of the Queer Clay gallery; work by Ramekon O’Arwisters, foreground.

Artists in Conversation with Mark Burns & Vick Quezada

Thursday, November 16, 2023 • 5:00–6:00 (PST) • Online

Join us for a virtual discussion with Mark Burns and Vick Quezada , two of the talented artists behind our current exhibition Making in Between: Queer Clay.

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Members Clay Day: Handglazed Ornaments

Friday, November 17, 2023 • 6:00–7:30 PM • In Person

Have fun in the AMOCA Studio while you learn the basics of handpainting with underglaze! This class is complimentary for AMOCA Members! Not yet a member or need to renew? Visit https://www.amoca.org/membership/ to learn more.

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Pictured: Claudia V. Solórzano, City Terraces (detail), 2022. Stoneware. 9 sculpted gates approximately 40 x 30 inches each.

Virtual Artist Talk with Claudia V. Solórzano

Wednesday, November 29, 2023 • 12:00–1:00 PM (PST) • Online

Join us for a virtual talk with Artist in Residence Claudia V. Solórzano to celebrate the beginning of her residency in the AMOCA Studio. There will be an opportunity for Q & A following the presentation.

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Open House & Holiday Market

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, December 1, 2, and 3, 2023 • 11:00 AM–4:00 PM • In Person

Three days to enjoy tours & demonstrations, explore AMOCA’s current exhibitions, and shop one-of-a-kind finds at our Open House & Holiday Market. Admission is complimentary with advance registration.

Learn More

Docent Training Program

Now accepting volunteer applications!

Our Docent Program is accepting new volunteers. We’ll train you to give educational exhibition tours to school children, clubs, or special interest groups. Docents make a world of a difference in meeting our mission, and get a sense of satisfaction from their important contributions.

Learn More


In Case You Missed It

Artist Talk with Paige O’Toole

In this presentation by AMOCA Artist in Residence Paige O’Toole, the artist shares about her practice, past work, and future directions. This virtual talk, which was presented and recorded on September 27, 2023, marks the beginning of O’Toole’s residency in the AMOCA Studio.


Exhibitions on View

Visit Friday–Sunday, 11 AM–4 PM.

REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions 2020-2023

On view in the Armstrong Gallery through July 21, 2024, REVEAL: Recent Acquisitions 2020-2023 showcases a remarkable variety of ceramics that AMOCA has recently acquired for its permanent collection from 45 donors. AMOCA’s permanent collection encompasses 13,000+ ceramic objects that date from pre-Columbian to contemporary times.

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Making in Between: Queer Clay

On view May 6-December 30, 2023, Making in Between: Queer Clay shifts the lens of the Making in Between series from national heritage to explore broader influences on identity, centering queerness as an unapologetic presence. Queer Clay features works by historical artists, whose identities have remained largely unseen until recently, alongside contemporary makers.

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Cj Jilek: Systematic Erosion

Systematic Erosion is an installation of ceramic and mixed media sculpture addressing social justice for women. Cj Jilek’s exhibition explores the erosion of women’s rights locally, nationally, and internationally.  While highlighting women’s rights, the exhibition also has undertones of environmentalism. Systematic Erosion will be on view in the Igal & Diane Silber Vault Gallery September 9–December 17, 2023. 

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A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach

A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach: Villeroy and Boch showcases everyday life in the 1800s Mettlach, Germany. A Traveler’s Guide to Mettlach, on view in the Robert and Colette Wilson Gallery through June 2025, presents concepts of life, laughter, relationships, and the day-to-day existence of the German people.

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Bring Some Culture to Your Inbox

399 N Garey Ave Pomona, CA 91767
909.865.3146 | info@amoca.org
The museum is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, 11 AM–4 PM. Plan your visit by clicking here.

For information about Ceramics Studio hours and availability, please click here for the Ceramics Studio.