Welcome to the Center for the Study of Figurative Ceramics
The Center offers a diverse range of learning opportunities, including virtual curriculums of varying lengths, in-person masterclasses, and residencies. These programs are designed for individuals at different stages of their ceramic journey, providing multiple entry points into the world of figurative ceramics to catalyze growth amidst a dedicated community.
Exquisite Head: Form, Expression, and Surface
In-Person Weekend Workshop with Cristina Córdova and Sergei Isupov
IN PERSON WORKSHOP:
Location: Project Art, 54 Main Street, Cummington, Massachusetts, USA
Dates:Dates: October 17, Saturday – October 18, Sunday 2026 (it is recommended to arrive on the October 16 for the welcome gathering at 5:30 p.m.)
Instructed by: Cristina Córdova and Sergei Isupov
Price: 850 USD. Lunch on both days is covered and Saturday night dinner
Capacity: 18 slots
In sculpture, the human head holds a singular power. It is where identity gathers, where emotion surfaces, where thought becomes visible in form. In this rare two-day intensive, acclaimed sculptors Sergey Isupov and Cristina Córdova invite participants into an immersive exploration of the head as both structure and story.
Working side by side, the two artists bring together distinctly powerful approaches to figurative clay. Isupov is known for his richly pigmented, psychologically layered portraits that merge image, color, and narrative. Córdova brings a deeply structural understanding of the figure, guiding students through the architecture that gives a head weight, presence, and life. Together they reveal the inner logic of the form, how a head is built, how expression emerges, and how surface can amplify meaning.
Through demonstrations, lectures, and guided studio work, participants will learn practical systems for constructing the head in clay, strategies for understanding facial anatomy and proportion, and methods for refining features so they feel both believable and expressive. The workshop will also explore approaches to surface and pigmentation that allow sculpture to carry emotional depth and narrative resonance.
Participants will leave with a powerful framework for constructing the head, a sharper understanding of facial anatomy, new strategies for color and surface, and a series of study heads that capture the breakthroughs made during this immersive studio experience.
To enroll send us an email to figurativeceramics@gmail.com and we will send you all the details about this workshop together with the payment methods.
SUMMER 4-WEEK LIVE ONLINE INTENSIVE
Our final four-week live online intensive of 2026 is here, an immersive experience in figurative ceramics led by Cristina Córdova. This program brings together an exceptional group of internationally recognized artists, each offering intimate, practical approaches to constructing, understanding, and presenting sculpture, while guiding you toward a deeper, more personal command of your own work.
Cristina Córdova guides you through her slab-based method for constructing the human figure, focusing on proportion, movement, and foundational surface strategies. Assis Filho expands this work through anatomy, helping you understand and refine key structures such as the head and hands. Beth Cavener guides you through gesture, tension, and how to build emotionally charged sculptures. Malene Hartmann Rasmussen shares how to create narrative sculptures rooted in personal mythology.
Carolein Smit demonstrates how to develop expressive compositions through texture and layering over hollow forms. Susan Halls shares her fast slab-building technique to create dynamic, energetic forms. Kukuli Velarde reflects on how personal history, cultural memory, and resilience inform the making of sculpture. Brady Connelly shows how to photograph your sculptures with clarity and intention, using lighting, composition, and simple editing techniques to create professional images that accurately represent your work.
All sessions are live and interactive, giving you the opportunity to learn directly from each artist and ask questions in real time. This course offers practical tools you can apply immediately, while helping you develop a stronger and more intentional sculptural practice.
CERÁMICA PARA TODOS
Próximo taller “Cerámica Sonora Y Quema Con Fuego” con Nómada Cerámica
Este verano de 2026, Cerámica para Todos ofrece un espacio para la exploración transdisciplinaria. Nómada Cerámica llega desde Argentina, compartiendo su profundo conocimiento en la creación de instrumentos sonoros en cerámica y en técnicas de quema ancestrales. A través de charlas, talleres prácticos, donde los participantes crearán máscaras sonoras, y la construcción colectiva de un horno efímero de leña, el programa recorre el ciclo completo del objeto sonoro en la cerámica. Es una oportunidad excepcional para que artistas expandan su práctica hacia la construcción escultórica, la acústica y la simbología ritual.
Fechas: 27 de julio de 2026 – 2 de agosto de 2026 (de lunes a domingo)
Horario Intensivo: Lunes de 10:00 a.m. a 1:00 p.m. / De martes a viernes de 9:00 a.m. a 7:00 p.m. / Sábado de 10:00 a.m. a 11:00 p.m. / Domingo de 1:00 PM a 8:00 p.m.
Lugar: Nuestro Barrio Warehouse, 1853–1855 Avenida Ponce de León, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico en colaboración con Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
Idioma: Español
Costo: Gratuito para los participantes seleccionados. Todos los costos están cubiertos por el programa Cerámica para Todos
Cupos: 15 espacios disponibles
Fecha límite de solicitud: 18 de junio de 2026. Los participantes serán seleccionados por un jurado y notificados antes del 30 de junio de 2026
SOLD OUT
2-day In-Person Figurative Ceramic Sculpture Intensive:
Structure, Anatomy, and Expressive Surface
with Cristina Córdova
IN PERSON WORKSHOP:
Location: 1000 Avenida Ponce de Leon, Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Dates: August 3 - August 4, 2026 (Monday-Tuesday)
Schedule: 9:30 a.m. a 4:40 p.m.
Language: English
Instructed by: Cristina Córdova
Price: 650 USD
Join Cristina Córdova in the heart of San Juan for a two-day immersive workshop focused on building a full figurative sculpture using her dynamic slab-based approach. Through clear, adaptable methods, you will develop the figure from the thighs upward while gaining essential anatomical insight into the torso, head, and hands. The course also explores expressive surface techniques, including hair and texture, helping you bring presence and narrative to your work.
Alongside construction, Cristina will share a range of finishing approaches, and you will create a set of fired test tiles to serve as a lasting studio reference. Each participant will leave with their work safely packed for travel and the tools to continue refining it at home. This is an opportunity to step into focused making, deepen your practice, and be inspired by the energy and cultural richness of Puerto Rico.
SOLD OUT. To get into the waiting list send us an email to figurativeceramics@gmail.com.
NEW FREE Resource Collection from Cristina Córdova — Tools & Materials
This free resource section on our Teachable is an extension of Cristina’s desire to share the tools she regularly use, along with recommendations for books, websites, and other helpful materials for anyone passionate about figurative ceramics. We hope these resources support and inspire your practice. Feel free to engage with them in whatever way best serves your journey.
Embodied Clay —
Read About Us in Ceramics Monthly
We’re thrilled to be featured in the latest issue of Ceramics Monthly! In her article "Embodied Clay," our founder Cristina Córdova reflects on the timeless connection between clay and the human form, and how that spirit lives on through the work we do here at the Center.
Click here to read the full article and learn more about who we are and what we offer.
