The Art of Figurative Ceramics: A Live Online Journey into Sculpture with Cristina Córdova & Masters in the Field
What is the 4-week Live Online Course?
At the heart of the Center’s offerings is a one-month virtual curriculum designed to deepen your understanding of ceramics from multiple perspectives. Led by internationally renowned experts, our program provides a structured yet dynamic approach to learning, covering building techniques, surface design, and insights into the art business.
Rather than a single viewpoint, our courses offer a multifaceted exploration of the creative process, allowing you to engage with different approaches, methods, and philosophies. Through live, interactive sessions, you'll develop your creative routines while exchanging ideas with teachers and peers from around the world. Our curated classes and diverse community create a rich, immersive learning experience, one that encourages collaboration, innovation, and growth in your artistic practice.
WINTER 2027: 4-WEEK LIVE ONLINE INTENSIVE
Surfaces and Glazes for Figurative Ceramics and Sculpture
February 2–27, 2027 - Enrollment open 24 November
Discover how surface can transform your sculpture.
This 4-week immersive program is designed to ignite your creativity and connect you with a diverse, international community of ceramic artists. Open to all levels, it combines the flexibility of live online learning with the energy, accountability, and camaraderie of collaborative studio time.
This is our second edition focused on SURFACE, a deep exploration of glazing, cold finishes, and other surface treatments that bring form to life. Through live demonstrations and interactive discussions, you’ll test ideas, ask questions in real time, and learn directly from eight esteemed leaders in the ceramic field, each sharing their own methods and creative insights.
The 1-month intensive includes bi-weekly live virtual meetings, Tuesdays and Saturdays. All lectures are recorded and will be available on the course platform under the relevant topic in our classroom, so you can watch them at your convenience. You will have lifetime access to all recordings and resources so you can revisit lessons anytime.
You’ll also have the option to earn a Certification in Ceramic Surfaces through the Center for the Study of Figurative Ceramics, the second cycle in this new track of focused learning. You can learn more about this here. (Participation in the certification process is entirely optional).
Classes run from February 2–27, 2027, you can choose to complete all assignments for certification, or simply attend the live sessions or watch the recordings at your own pace. Students pursuing certification will have March to complete assignments, with continued one-on-one coaching with Cristina Córdova and community gatherings throughout the month.
You’ll be guided by an exceptional group of artists: Cristina Córdova, Beth Cavener, Maria Loram, Cody Hoyt, Lindsay Montgomery, John Britt and Shikha Joshi . Each brings a different perspective and clear, rich ways of working, helping you build to explore and learn slips, oxides, underglazes, glazes, surface testing, and experimental firing approaches, while discovering how surface can interact with form, enhance expression, and bring greater depth and meaning to your ceramic sculpture.
By the end of the course, you’ll leave with new techniques, renewed inspiration, and a deeper understanding of how surface can serve as a language, one where material becomes meaning.
Open to all skill levels – limited spaces available.
PRICE: *$2,250. Enrollment closes February 1.
*Price excludes tax. Taxes apply based on your location and local laws.
FLEXIBLE PAYMENT OPTIONS:
One-Time Purchase: Complete your registration in one step and enjoy immediate peace of mind.
Two-Times Payment: Split your total into two convenient monthly installments while maintaining full access to the program.
Payment Plans: Choose the Buy Now, Pay Later option to split your payment into easy, manageable installments by selecting to pay with Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm at checkout.
Other Payment Options: Prefer to pay by check or need additional assistance? Contact us at figurativeceramics@gmail.com for more details.
Enrollment open 24 November
Winter 2027 Instructors and Collaborators:
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![A woman smiling with dark hair in a bun and sleeveless top on the left, and a detailed, weathered statue of a person with intricate clothing and a somber expression on the right.]()
Surface Intelligence:
Testing as Creative Practice -
![A person standing confidently in an art studio beside a detailed sculpture of a mythical creature with large ears and intricate details.]()
Beyond the Fire:
Painting the Ceramic Surface -
![Artist sculpting a clay figure of a baby. Close-up of a detailed ceramic or stone sculpture of a young child's face with delicate features and textured surface.]()
Color & Form: Polychromed Sculpture
with Tomàs Barceló
INSTRUCTOR -
![A split image featuring a bearded man in a light green shirt on the left, and a sculpted bust of a woman's head with flowing hair on the right.]()
Pattern in the Round:
Surface with Nerikomi -
![Person standing between two large, abstract sculptures on wooden pallets.]()
Glaze Application Magic:An exploration of experimental glazing techniques
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![Person outdoors in forest; sculpture of a humanoid figure with a ram's head sitting cross-legged in a meditative pose.]()
Growing Crystals: Mid-Range Crystalline Glazes for sculptural objects
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![A pair of shorts made from hexagonal pieces on a mannequin, alongside a man wearing them in a tropical setting.]()
The Living Surface:
Material, Mark & Transformation -
![A person sitting indoors, smiling, and looking to the side, dressed in a dark polka dot shirt, with an arm resting on their knee.]()
Abundance by Design: Manifestation & Strategy for Creative Growth
FEBRUARY 2027 CURRICULUM
FEBRUARY 2027 CURRICULUM
WEEK 1
TUESDAY, Feb. 2 | Cristina Córdova
(4:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Surface Intelligence: Testing as Creative Practice
+ In this class, Cristina Córdova will share her approach to exploring and testing a wide range of surface treatments for figurative sculpture
+ Learn how to design sculptural figurative test tiles for experimentation
+ Explore layering techniques with underglazes, slips, dry pigments, oxides, glazes, and terra sigillata
+ Understand how surface can be applied at different stages: wet clay, dry clay, or after bisque
+ Discover how firing speeds affect results and how to use post-firing interventions to further enrich surfaces.
SATURDAY, Feb. 6 | Jessica Dance
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST)
Abundance by Design: Manifestation & Strategy for Creative Growth
+ The session blends manifestation practices with practical strategy, helping participants align their energy, release limiting beliefs, and design clear steps toward a thriving creative life
+ Learn how to cultivate an abundant mindset, attract opportunities and put supportive structures in place to sustain your artistic growth
WEEK 2
TUESDAY, Feb. 9 | Shikha Joshi
(5:00–7:00 pm EST) VIA ZOOM
The Living Surface: Material, Mark & Transformation
+ Alison will share her unique approach using saggar firing in an electric kiln combining terra sigillata, colored slips, and carefully chosen combustibles to produce surfaces that shimmer with organic marks, mineral traces, and painterly depth
+ Emulate pit environments, and embraces the surprises that saggar firing brings with focus on surface as storytelling
+ Expand your surface vocabulary and explore saggar as a way of creating complex, luminous finishes on their sculpture in the convenience of an electric kiln
SATURDAY, Feb. 13 | Beth Cavener
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Beyond the Fire: Painting the Ceramic Surface
+ You’ll dive into underglazes, engobes, and decals, playing with bold color combinations and graphic details to give each figure a unique voice and a greater sense of depth
+ Discover how form + surface create narrative, humor, and emotion to give your figures a unique power
WEEK 3
TUESDAY, Feb. 16 | Maria Loram
(5:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Volcanic Skin: A Lava Glaze Laboratory
+ Play with experimental glaze techniques at low- and mid-fire ranges
+ Explore practical techniques for layering, combining, and coaxing glazes into wild new surfaces, and how to turn “failures” into your biggest breakthroughs
+ Push your surface work into bold, adventurous territory. Whether you’re after rich color blends, or unexpected reactive textures, Nicola will give you the tools, encouragement, and creative spark to find your own glaze magic
SATURDAY, Feb. 20 | John Britt
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Growing Crystals: Mid-Range Crystalline Glazes for sculptural objects
+ We’ll dive into practical glaze testing methods that help you discover your own unique treatments, with a focus on 50/50 blends, color progressions, and systematic follow-ups that lead to reliable results.
+ Includes handout + participant-driven discussion tailored to your practice
WEEK 4
TUESDAY, Feb. 23 | Cody Hoyt
(5:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Pattern in the Round: Surface with Nerikomi
+ Learn about Tomàs unique approach to sculptural polychromy, combining art-historical reflection, color theory, and technical mastery.
+ Explore how color interacts with form, learn foundational techniques such as shellacking , dry brushing, and patina effects, and discover how pigments can transform the presence of a piece.
The class is demonstration-based and students will leave with clear guidance, recommended materials, and exercises to continue their own explorations.
SATURDAY, Feb. 27 | Lindsay Montgomery
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Story onto Form: Maiolica for the Sculptural Surface
+ Explore Beth’s surface processes that impart her figures with rawness and emotional depth. She combines traditional treatments with unexpected materials to create surfaces that are both subtle and powerful.
+ Through layered applications , ranging from slips and washes to unconventional finishes (non-fired), she achieves effects that feel immediate, tactile, and deeply expressive, seamlessly merging surface with form.
*All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time (EST), North Carolina Time. You can find your time zone equivalent here: https://savvytime.com/
HOW WILL THIS WORK?
Throughout this journey, you will engage in live sessions twice a week throughout the month of June, hosted by founder and instructor Cristina Córdova, in collaboration with our ceramic masters. You will immerse yourself in demonstrations, lectures, one-on-one coaching and constructive group gatherings.
In addition to the month of live sessions with the artists, each class includes an optional assignment. These assignments have deadlines for students who wish to pursue certification. All deadlines fall in July, extending the duration of the course to two months for those who choose to complete the assignments and obtain the certificate.
You can choose to complete all assignments by the deadlines, or simply attend the live sessions or watch the recordings at your own pace. The program is designed to be flexible and support different learning goals and levels of engagement.
You will also receive support through one on one online meetings with Cristina Córdova, community gatherings with fellow students, and ongoing assistance by email, where Cristina will answer your questions and guide you throughout your process.
The only technological requirements are an internet connection, a computer, phone, or tablet, and Zoom. Once enrolled you will receive instructions for a full tech check to ensure everything is set up for an optimal experience.
Together, we will culminate our shared experience with a virtual group show and tell on April 3, where you will have the opportunity to showcase your work and celebrate our collective artistic evolution.
All sessions will be recorded and will be available in your course platform (Teachable), lifetime access, for as long as the Center for the Study of Figurative Ceramics exists, ensuring that you can revisit the content at your convenience and keep it as a lasting resource for continued inspiration and growth.
You can learn more about this course here.
Materials & Kiln Access
For the Special Ceramic Finishes Edition, material requirements will vary depending on your goals and how you choose to engage with the course.
If you wish to complete all assignments and earn a Certificate of Completion, you’ll need regular access to a kiln, 5 out of 8 assignments require one. The remaining 3 can be completed without firing.
However, certification is completely optional. You’re welcome to simply attend the live sessions or watch the recordings, apply the knowledge to your own practice, and enjoy the learning experience without completing the assignments, or just engaging with those that interest you.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
This course brings together eight world-class artists to expand how you think about surfaces in sculpture. We work hard to ensure each session is both practical and inspiring, designed to give you recipes, techniques, and strategies you can immediately apply in your own studio while also deepening your creative vision.
Cristina Córdova will share her strategies for building an efficient, generative surface lab — from designing useful test tiles to cataloging results into a working material library.
Beth Cavener will explore what's possible once firing is complete, using cold finishes to build color, atmosphere, depth, and psychological presence on the ceramic surface.
Maria Loram will guide you through the chemistry and application of lava glazes, testing how formulation, thickness, and firing transform the ceramic surface into cratered, blistered, geological textures.
Shikha Joshi will share her experimental approach to layering slips, glazes, colorants, and found materials like wild soils and crushed rock, creating surfaces that feel weathered, atmospheric, and alive, all within a controlled electric kiln.
Cody Hoytwill explore nerikomi as a surface language for sculpture, showing how colored clay can be layered, cut, and recombined so pattern becomes integral to how a form is seen.
Lindsay Montgomery will share her process of building luminous maiolica surfaces over red earthenware, layering slip and pigment to bring drawing, color, and narrative into direct conversation with sculptural form.
John Britt will demystify mid-range crystalline glazes, showing how chemistry, firing cycles, and cooling encourage crystals to nucleate and grow, and giving you a practical framework for developing your own.
You’ll be right there with each artist, watching their process up close, learning from their demonstrations, and asking questions in real time.This is more than a series of demos, it’s an invitation to see surface as a field of exploration where material and meaning intersect.
By the end of the course, you’ll leave with practical tools, fresh inspiration, and a deeper sense of how surface can shape not only your sculpture, but your artistic voice.
What People Are Saying
PREVIOUS STUDENTS WORK:
This gallery highlights projects created by participants in our previous 4-week live online courses focus on figurative construction strategies. Our students come from a wide range of skill levels, and each one successfully adapts the assignments to their own experience and goals. This flexible approach ensures that everyone can learn and grow while exploring the diverse techniques and styles taught by our different guest artists.
