Rendering the human figure in clay is one of the richest traditions in art history and education. It is revealing and collective experience – the artist departs with an external piece of work and, hopefully, enriched personal awareness. Javier teaches 5-day figure workshops in Wellington and Auckland on a regular basis.

The class works with a nude model who strikes a different pose in each workshop. Javier moves through the class and, with reference to the model and previous figures, he helps students translate the pose into a clay 750mm sculpture. These workshops are as entertaining as they are intense, and many students return. With multiple visits, a student will improve their artistry and dexterity and can appreciate the subtleties of studying diverse models who may display the beautiful and the peculiar, the vulnerable and the heroic.