MOCA Studio Practice: Mixed Media Organic Sculptures with Ana Ion

In this workshop, students will create a small sculptural object using air-dry clay, plexiglass, wax, sand, plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and hot glue. Participants will build non-figurative, body-inspired forms that include both a sculpted inside and outisde. Using different methods such as tearing clay, combining wax and sand, and constructing skeletal frameworks with plexiglass. students will creat emtoional works of art, with a bold physical presence, drawing inspiration from artists like Eva Hesse, Kiki Smith, and Louise Bourgeois. This class emphasizes texture, gravity, and surfaces, encouraging students to think about how forms meet the ground, how materials interact, and how boundaries are revealed or disrupted, ultimately considering what makes a sculptural work feel alive and emotionally resonant.

About the Instructor:

Ana Ion Leonte is a Romanian-American artist currently working in Florida. Originally from Bucharest, Romania, she discovered her passion for ceramic sculpture while studying at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. She continued her formal art education at the Paris College of Art in Paris, France, and later at the Alfred University College of Ceramics in Alfred, New York, where she earned a BFA in Art and Design with a concentration in ceramic sculpture and mixed-media practices.

Her work has been exhibited at Turner Gallery and Fosdick-Nelson Gallery in Alfred, New York; the Ritz Museum and Theatre in Jacksonville, Florida; Mint Gallery in Atlanta, Georgia; Artsafe and Galeriile FormArt in Bucharest, Romania; and the International Drawing Biennial in Arad, Romania. Ana has also been an Artist in Residence at the Red Lodge Clay Center in Red Lodge, Montana, and participated in the Terra Symposium in Kikinda, Serbia.

Ana’s artistic practice centers on organic and occasionally mechanical abstract ceramic forms that function as allegories for the human condition. Drawing from personal experiences with nature, culture, and anthropology, her work explores the tension between Eastern European cultural values and contemporary society. Through sculpture and painting, she uses shape, color, and material intuition to question social conformity and examine the toxicity of imposed values, allowing formal exploration to guide the conceptual direction of her work.

Studio Practice is a monthly series of hands-on, practical art classes where students of all levels learn to create in varying media with the instruction of a local artist. Open to adults and teens in the company of an adult.

MOCA Members $10* | UNF Students, Faculty, and Staff $10 | Non-Members $20Supplies are included

If you would like to claim the MOCA Member discount, and additional perks such as complimentary parking and invites to exclusive events, !

*The MOCA Member price does not include NARM and SEMC reciprocal members. Reciprocal members receive free general admission at MOCA Jacksonville.

Questions? Contact [email protected] and to get in contact with someone the day of the event, please reach out to MOCA Guest Relations at .

SPACE IS LIMITED. REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

About Ana Ion
Ana Ion Leonte is a Romanian-American artist who works in Florida

currently. Originally from Bucharest Romania, Ana found her passion in ceramic

sculptural arts at Episcopal School of Jacksonville and furthered her formal training

in art at Paris College of Art, Paris, France and at the renowned ceramics institution

Alfred University College of Ceramics, Alfred, NY where she earned a BFA degree in

Art and Design, dedicating her time to mixed media sculpture with a concentration in

Ceramic sculpture.

Some of her work has been exhibited at the Turner Gallery, Alfred, NY ,

Fosdick-Nelson Gallery, Alfred, New York, Ritz Museum and Theatre, Jacksonville,

Florida, Artsafe, Bucharest, Romania, Galeriile FormArt, Bucharest, Romania, Mint

gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, and The International Drawing Biennial, Arad, Romania. She

has been an Artist in Residence at Red lodge Clay Center, Red Lodge, Montana and

attended the Terra symposium, Kikinda, Serbia.

Ana’s artistic practice is rooted in a mixture of organic and sometimes

mechanical abstract ceramic forms, often allegories for the human condition

originating from conceptual ideals. She draws her inspiration from personal

experiences with nature, cultures and anthropological matters between Eastern

European cultural values and modern society. Her paintings and sculptures are

defined by compositions of shapes and colors that emerge from experiences that

spark questions and curiosities about challenging social conformity and examining

the toxicity of value, all while allowing formalism and material intuition to guide the

creative process.

If you have a disability and require an accommodation for this occasion, please contact MOCA Jacksonville at 904-620-1214 or [email protected] five days before the event to enable us to provide you with a reasonable accommodation for the event.

About MOCA

Located in the heart of historic Downtown, the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville is one of the city’s most significant cultural assets. As the oldest art museum in Northeast Florida and one of the first contemporary art museums to be established in the United States, MOCA is focused on promoting the discovery, knowledge, and advancement of the art, artists, and ideas of our time.

Among the most prominent contemporary art museums in the Southeast, MOCA’s exhibitions and programs set the pace for arts and art-integrated programming on a regional and national stage. Renowned in this community, MOCA casts the spotlight on Jacksonville as a burgeoning, vital arts destination.

The museum is also a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s multibillion-dollar downtown revitalization plan with exhibitions and programs that bring new visitors to the civic core during the day, at night, and on weekends.

MOCA JACKSONVILLE PROGRAM CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY

At MOCA Jacksonville, we understand that plans can change. We strive to accommodate the needs of our guests while ensuring that our events and programs continue to run smoothly for everyone involved.

Cancellation by the Guest:

• More than 2 days before the program: Full refund available minus Eventbrite ticketing fee.

• 1-2 days before the program: Refund requests must be sent to museum contact.

• Less than 24 hours before the program: Refunds are not available.

Rescheduling:

• Guests may request to be rescheduled to a later program, subject to availability, with no penalty if done more than 2 days in advance of their program.

Cancellation by MOCA Jacksonville:

• MOCA Jacksonville reserves the right to cancel any event due to unforeseen circumstances or events beyond our control. In such cases, a full refund or rescheduling option will be offered.

Notification:

• All cancellations or rescheduling requests must be made in writing to our Education Department at [email protected]. Please include your event details and contact information for prompt processing.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation with our cancellation policy. Our goal is to provide a seamless experience for all our guests and patrons.

MOCA JACKSONVILLE MEMBERSHIP TICKET POLICY

Ticket Allocation:

• Individual Members: Individual members are entitled to reserve or purchase one (1) member ticket for each event or program in which a member level ticket is offered.

• Dual Members and above: Dual level memberships and above are entitled to reserve or purchase two (2) member tickets per event for each event or program in which a member level ticket is offered.

• Avant Garde Circle Members and above: Members at this level and above are entitled two (2) free tickets to one program of their choice per year. Contact Development at [email protected] to reserve.

Membership Level Association

• Your membership level is directly associated with your ticket privileges. We encourage you to explore the various levels of membership to find the one that best suits your cultural interests and event attendance desires.

• Donor Circle Members may request additional event and program tickets by contacting the Development Department at [email protected].

• Your membership number may be required to complete certain reservations. This can be found printed on your membership card. Please contact [email protected] if you need assistance locating your membership number.

Policy Adherence:

• We kindly ask that all members adhere to the ticket allocation policy. This ensures fairness and opportunity for all members to participate in our exclusive events.

Ticket Transfer:

• Tickets are non-transferable and are intended for use by the member(s) registered under the membership account. Identification may be required at the event entrance to match our membership records.

Enjoyment for All:

• Our policy is designed to maximize enjoyment for all our members. We believe in the power of art to connect, inspire, and engage our community.

We thank you for your understanding and for being an integral part of MOCA Jacksonville. Your support as a member allows us to continue offering a diverse range of events and programs.

Please feel free to reach out to our membership services team at [email protected] if you have any questions or need further clarification on your membership benefits.

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