Artist Workshop: Monumental Abstraction w/Bianca MacPherson

<p>April 10, 11, & 12, 2026 • Monumental Abstraction w/Bianca MacPherson • 10:00 AM-2:00 PM Fri , Sat, & Sun • $375</p> <p>In this hands-on workshop, led by AMOCA Artist in Residence Bianca MacPherson, students will explore the intersection of personal reference, conceptual thinking, and large-scale handbuilding in clay. Using their own ideas, experiences, and visual references as a foundation, participants will investigate abstraction as a personal code or visual language.</p> <p>Through guided exercises and one-on-one mentorship, students will learn strategies for developing concepts and translating them into physical forms. Emphasis will be placed on exploring scale, surface, and structural approaches to building large, expressive works. By the end of the workshop, students will have cultivated both a deeper understanding of their own visual language and practical techniques for constructing monumental handbuilt pieces.</p> <p>This workshop is appropriate for intermediate and advanced students; students should be comfortable and have prior experience with basic clay construction methods such as pinch, coil, and slab building. Familiarity with working independently in a studio setting and a willingness to experiment conceptually are strongly encouraged.</p> <p> </p> <p>About your Instructor: Bianca MacPherson’s ceramic work solidifies the psychological unseen. Drawing from the complexities of American history and personal experience, her forms instigate dialogues around identity, race, and perception, forcefully pressing us to confront the tension between what is seen and what is assumed through abstraction. Originally from Buffalo, New York, her work has been exhibited nationally. MacPherson received her MFA from Penn State University and her BFA from Buffalo State University, and has participated in residencies at Penland School of Craft, Haystack Mountain School of Craft, and Watershed Center for the Ceramic Arts. MacPherson will be in residence at AMOCA from August 2025–July 2026.</p>