February@AMOCA
There’s a lot to love this month at the American Museum of Ceramic Art! We’re starting February off with First Fridays, our pay-what-you-can admission day. Thanks to generous support from AMOCA’s Board of Directors, you can visit the museum on Friday, February 3 and choose your own ticket prices!
Also the first weekend in February, on Saturday, February 4 at 11:30 AM we’re offering a Spanish-language tour of Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay, led by Exhibition Manager Pam Aliaga. Únase a nosotros para un recorrido en español de la exhibición Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay, dirigida por la gerente de exhibición de AMOCA, Pam Aliaga. The tour is included with the price of museum admission.
And, on Sunday, February 5 AMOCA is participating in SoCal Museums’ annual Free for All day. On this day, over thirty museums across Southern California—presenting art, cultural heritage, film, natural history, and science—will open their doors and offer free general admission. To learn more about Free for All and see the full list of participating museums, visit SoCal Museums; to reserve Free for All tickets to AMOCA on February 5, hop over to our Free for All page.
On Sunday, February 12, artists of all ages are invited to join us for a Clay Date! During this fun family day workshop, we’ll create unique clay vases and paper bouquets for a special loved one (or for yourself). This workshop is sure to be full of sweetness and lots of smiles as we delight in handmade gift-making!
If you’re an AMOCA member, you’re invited to enjoy the museum without the crowds on Member Bonus Days; the museum continues be open on Wednesdays and Thursdays for members. Also exclusively for members, Executive Director Beth Ann Gerstein will lead a Members Tour of Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay on Wednesday, February 8. Be sure to reserve to spot now–don’t miss this chance to go behind the scenes of our current exhibition. Not yet an AMOCA member or need to renew? You can always visit our membership page to renew or purchase a membership online.
February also marks the beginning of our entry period for the 2023 High School Exhibition. This annual juried exhibition showcases the remarkable talents of high school students studying the ceramic arts across the United States. Applications for AMOCA’s 2023 High School Ceramics Exhibition can be submitted online between February 12-March 12, 2023. For all the details, and to get ready to submit your work, visit the application page.
Winter six-week classes are in full swing in Ceramics Studio, and our spring session courses will be announced in the coming weeks. If you’re ready to get your hands dirty now, you can try out the wheel during a one-hour Introductory Session. Our February Introductory Sessions will take place on Friday, February 17. Later this spring, you won’t want to miss the Artist Demonstration with MoonDoBang & Adam Field on Friday, April 7. Studio classes and demonstrations regularly sell out, so be sure to reserve your spot soon if you’re interested in attending.
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 or reserved online.
Hope to see you soon,
Genevieve Kaplan
Associate Director of Communications & Stewardship
February Programs & Events
First Fridays at AMOCA
Friday, February 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!
Breaking Ground: Recorrido en Español
Saturday, February 4 • 11:30 AM–12:30 PM • In person
Únase a nosotros para un recorrido en español de la exhibición Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay, dirigida por la gerente de exhibición de AMOCA, Pam Aliaga. Join us for a Spanish-language tour of the exhibition Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay, led by AMOCA’s exhibition manager Pam Aliaga.
SoCal Museums Free-for-All day @ AMOCA
Sunday, February 5 • 11:00 AM–4:00 PM • In person
Enjoy free admission to AMOCA—with advance registration—on Sunday, February 5 as part of SoCal Museums (SCM)‘s Free for All day. AMOCA is open 11 AM-4 PM on February 5; last entry is at 3 PM.
Breaking Ground: Members Tour
Wednesday, February 8 • 12:00–1:00 PM • In person
Join us for a special members tour of the exhibition Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay with Executive Director Beth Ann Gerstein.
Clay Date • A Family Workshop
Sunday, February 12 • 11:00 AM–1:00 PM • In person • $15
AMOCA invites you on a clay date! Create your own unique coiled clay vase and paper bouquet for a special loved one (or yourself). AMOCA’s family workshops are for all ages and everyone is welcome.
Introductory Session • Wheel Throwing
Friday, February 17• 5:00–6:00 PM or 8:00-9:00 PM • In Person • $50
Introductory sessions, offered monthly, are the perfect way to get your hands dirty, relax, and have fun! Learn the basics of throwing on the potter’s wheel. If you successfully create a bowl, staff will glaze and fire it after the class is completed—all included in the price of the class. Note: introductory sessions are for adults (ages 16+ may attend in the company of a paying adult).
2023 High School Ceramics Exhibition
Applications Accepted: February 12–March 12, 2023 • Online
Since 2014, AMOCA has hosted an annual juried exhibition showcasing the remarkable talents of high school students studying the ceramic arts. Since 2020, the exhibition has been held virtually and will continue online this coming year. All high school students in the U.S. are eligible to apply.
Artist Demonstration • MoonDoBang & Adam Field
Friday, April 7, 2023 • 10:00 AM–2:00 PM • In person • $150
Join long-time friends Moon Byung Sik (MoonDoBang) and Adam Field for this compelling 4-hour demonstration at the AMOCA Ceramics Studio. Moon and Field will demonstrate their methods for throwing a variety of wheel-thrown forms. From traditional techniques, to innovative solutions for timeless problems, participants will develop a new perspective on creating and decorating functional pottery. The event will be spoken in Korean and translated to English by Miki Shim.
In Case You Missed It
Curator Talk: Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay
A recording of the October 2022 talk in the exhibition galleries with Breaking Ground co-curators Jo Lauria, Edith Garcia, and Beth Ann Gerstein.
Exhibitions on View
Visit Friday–Sunday, 11 AM–4 PM by purchasing tickets online.
Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay
On view September 10, 2022–March 12, 2023, Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay celebrates 44 artists who have defined—and redefined—ceramics over the past 100 years. Many of the Golden State’s most innovative and impactful ceramic artists in the 20th and 21st centuries are women who faced adversity due to gender inequality and were often ignored or overlooked in favor of their male counterparts. These incredibly determined women pushed forward, driven by creativity and tenacity.
Breaking Ground: Women in California Clay is co-curated by Beth Ann Gerstein (Executive Director), Jo Lauria (Adjunct Curator), and Edith Garcia (Professor, California College of the Arts and University of California, Berkeley).
The Artists of Mettlach
This ongoing exhibition presents a selection of works from the Villeroy and Boch Mettlach Collection (donated by Robert D. And Colette D. Wilson). It features original research on notable artists involved in the production of these historic works.