Expressive Figures with Michelle Solorzano

Michelle Solorzano is a figurative ceramic sculptor whose work explores themes of immigration, identity, and culture, blending personal experiences with broader historical and ancestral influences. Her art practice is deeply rooted in the complexities of bicultural identity and the layered legacies of colonization, drawing inspiration from Dominican heritage shaped by Taíno, African, and Spanish influences. Solorzano holds a BFA in Painting and Ceramics from the State University of New York at Potsdam and an MFA in Ceramics from Indiana University’s Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Now based in California, Solorzano recently completed a long-term residency at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA). She is currently an Artist in Residence at Laguna Clay and an Adjunct Ceramics Professor at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Her work has been recognized nationally, including being named a 2025 NCECA Emerging Artist, a 2024 Ceramics Monthly Emerging Artist, and recipient of the Helen Zucker Seeman Writing and Research Fellowship for Women.

Daily Schedule:
Mon Apr 27: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. artist talk in Commons
Tues Apr 28 – Thurs Apr 30: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fri May 1: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• Please arrive at the Commons by 8:45 a.m. each day to grab breakfast; instruction begins in the studio at 9:00 a.m. The group will break for lunch at 12:30 p.m. Breakfast is the only meal served on Friday.
• Participants are responsible for their own dinner plans and can make use of the studio kitchenette for storing food and cooking. There are multiple dine-in and takeout options within driving distance from Watershed.
• Participants must agree to follow Watershed’s health & safety guidelines. Read them here.

• The materials fee includes:
  • 50lbs sculpture clay
  • White slip
  • Various underglazes
  • Newsprint
• Participants should bring:
  • Basic clay tools (wire tool, needle tool, fettling knife, flexible rib, serrated rib, sponge, knife, fork, other favorite hand building tools)
  • Seamstress tape
  • Wooden modeling tools
  • Medium – sized paddle
  • Applicator bottles
  • Plastic for covering work
  • Boxes and packing material for transporting work (we do not keep much of this on hand!)
  • Notebook and pencil

Meals:

• Watershed will provide the following meals:
  • Monday: Breakfast & lunch
  • Tuesday & Wednesday: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Thursday: Breakfast & lunch
  • Friday: Breakfast only
• Artists may use the Commons fridge, microwave and toaster as well as the studio kitchenette (fridge, microwave, induction stove, toaster oven, etc) and are expected to clean up after themselves.

Housing:

Watershed offers housing in single or double rooms furnished with twin beds. Single rooms are $90/night and double rooms are $65/night. Bathroom facilities are shared but can be used by one person at a time, much like a bathroom in a home.

Participants must bring their own sheets, blankets, and bath towels. Pillows and mattress pads are provided. 

Participants may also elect to stay off campus.

The workshop fee and any housing fees are due in full with your registration.

• Please familiarize yourself with Watershed’s Cancellation Policy.
• Participants must agree to follow Watershed’s health & safety guidelines. Read them here.