Inside the Studio

Christina Watka in residency at MacArthur Place

Artist Christina Watka laying out mica pieces on a table at MacArthur Place.

Christina Watka's Uprise Art x MacArthur Place residency coincided with one of the biggest superblooms in California history. Her vibrant surroundings became inspiration for a new series of wall-based glazed porcelain sculptures that capture the intoxicating palette of the Sonoma landscape. Go behind the scenes of the artist's one-week residency below.

Artist Christina Watka arranging color chips on a ledge at MacArthur Place.

Hand of Christina Watka holding up a turquoise color chip next to a faucet at MacArthur Place.

Artist Christina Watka assembling a sculpture on a table at MacArthur Place.

Artist Christina Watka lays pieces of mica and iridescent acrylic on a table at MacArthur Place.

Instead of spending time in the studio, I traveled around Sonoma with a journal and a box of color-aid paper. The colors I found were so potent, I had to color match them in person so I’d be able to remember their vibrancy when I went home to Maine.
Christina Watka

Artist Christina Watka uses a tool to make a hole in a piece of mica at MacArthur Place.

Artist Christina Watka arranges mica pieces on a table at MacArthur Place.

Hand of artist Christina Watka holds up an iridescent sculpture at MacArthur Place.

Hand of artist Christina Watka adjusting iridescent sculpture at MacArthur Place.

This body of work is a culmination of my experience listening to the world in California. To me, it all feels playful and very full of life.
Christina Watka