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 2026: 4-WEEK LIVE ONLINE INTENSIVE
Surfaces and Glazes for Figurative Ceramics and Sculpture
JANUARY 2026 - Early bird discount until 30 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 season, our focus is 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.
You’ll explore techniques such as layered glazes, saggar firing, drawing on clay, and non-fired finishes, while gaining a richer understanding of how surface can shape meaning and elevate your artistic voice.
You’ll also have the option to earn a Certification in Ceramic Surfaces through the Center for the Study of Figurative Ceramics, the first cycle in this new track of focused learning. (Participation in the certification process is entirely optional.)
Classes run from January 6–31, 2026, with continued one-on-one coaching and support groups through February. The intensive includes bi-weekly live virtual lectures by our faculty, plus lifetime access to all recordings and resources so you can revisit lessons anytime.
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.
Tuition & Payment Options
Cost: $2,200* but now it can be $1,870 with the 15% early bird discount if you enroll by 30 November using this coupon code: EARLYBIRD15 at checkout.
*Taxes apply based on your location and local laws.
Flexible payment options available:
One-Time Purchase: Pay in full upfront.
Payment Plan: Split your payment into installments with Klarna, Afterpay, or Affirm at checkout.
Payment Plan: Split your payment in two months with Teachable at checkout.
Other Options: Prefer to pay by check or need support? Contact us at figurativeceramics@gmail.com.
ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN
with 15% discount until 30 November
using this coupon code: EARLYBIRD15
Winter 2026 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.]()
Sculpture Surface Lab
with Cristina Córdova
FOUNDER /INSTRUCTOR -
![A person standing confidently in an art studio beside a detailed sculpture of a mythical creature with large ears and intricate details.]()
Skin of Clay: Surface Treatments
with Beth Caverner
INSTRUCTOR -
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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.]()
Surfaces Stories
with Janina Myronova
INSTRUCTOR -
![Person standing between two large, abstract sculptures on wooden pallets.]()
Glaze Application Magic:An exploration of experimental glazing techniques
INSTRUCTOR -
![Person outdoors in forest; sculpture of a humanoid figure with a ram's head sitting cross-legged in a meditative pose.]()
Overview of fired sculptural surface treatments and testing
INSTRUCTOR -
![A pair of shorts made from hexagonal pieces on a mannequin, alongside a man wearing them in a tropical setting.]()
Fire Alchemy: Saggar Techniques
with Alison Brannen
INSTRUCTOR -
![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
INSTRUCTOR
JANUARY 2026 CURRICULUM
JANUARY 2026 CURRICULUM
WEEK 1
TUESDAY, Jan. 6 | Cristina Córdova
(4:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Sculpture Surface Lab
+ 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, Jan. 10 | 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, Jan. 13 | Alison Brannen
(5:00–7:00 pm EST) VIA ZOOM
Fire Alchemy: Saggar Techniques
+ 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, Jan. 17 | Janina Mironova
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Surfaces Stories
+ 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, Jan. 20 | Nicola Moore
(5:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
An exploration of experimental glazing techniques for low-fire and mid range temperatures
+ 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, Jan. 24 | John Britt
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
An Overview of Fired Sculptural Surface Treatments and Testing
+ 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, Jan. 27 | Tomàs Barceló
(5:00 PM –7:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Color and Form: Polychromed Sculpture
+ 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, Jan. 31 | Beth Cavener
(11:00 AM –1:00 PM EST) VIA ZOOM
Skin of Clay: Surface Treatments
+ 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 January, 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. These interactive gatherings will be complemented by pre-recorded materials and written resources, providing flexibility for you to tailor the experience to your own rhythm.
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. You may choose to complete the coursework for credit, attend live sessions to learn from the artists, or simply watch the class recordings at your own pace. The program is designed with flexibility to support different learning goals and levels of engagement.
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 March 7, 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 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 and coaches 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 own methods, from sculptural test tiles using the Córdova Method of hollow construction using new patterns to layered surfaces, showing how slips, oxides, terra sigillata, and glazes can transform volume and form when applied in specific ways.
Beth Cavener will reveal her approach to non-fired finishes, where subtle textures and unconventional treatments add raw emotional power.
Tomàs Barceló will explore the expressive union of color and sculpture, demonstrating polychromy techniques that reimagine painted surfaces.
John Britt will guide you through the chemistry and craft of glazes, offering reliable testing methods to help you discover your own voice.
Janina Myronova will share her bold process of drawing and painting on clay, creating graphic, animated, and deeply personal surfaces.
Nicola Moore will share experimental glaze techniques to layer, combine, and transform surfaces into bold, unexpected creations..
Alison Brannen will introduce saggar firing in electric kilns, unlocking the alchemy of fire, fume, and storytelling. through atmospheric surfaces.
Jessica Dance will help you ground all this technical learning in your own creative journey, blending mindset, manifestation, and strategy so your practice thrives.
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.
