Scroll down to find the list of metals mentors for 2026.

A graphic of a blacksmith's anvil with a hammer and a flame in the background.

Applications for 2026 are Closed.

    • A 1-year course, beginning in January.

    • 24 one-on-one, online meetings with your mentor.

    • 12 online group meetings.

    • 1 weeklong in-person workshop with your Mentor and Cohort.

  • $4,200 USD Annually

    • We break this down into twelve $340 automatic monthly payments plus a $120 non-refundable deposit at the time of registration.

    • Student is responsible for travel and lodging expense for the in-person workshop.

    • We will have several scholarships available. Please visit our Art Equity Scholarship page for more information.

  • Applications for the next session open in the summer.
    Plan ahead! The application will include several questions to help us get to know you and your goals, and asks for 5 photos of your work.

    The selection process is an earnest effort to build a cohesive Cohort while placing you with a mentor who best pairs with your gifts and goals.

    • Our growing Resource page for students includes a video library of our Cohorts Guest Lecture Series and other useful materials for artistic and professional growth.

    • Students will have the opportunity to guest host our social media.

    • Listing and links to your website on our Students/Alumni page.

    • Networking, community building and more!

Click Here to Read All About Cohorts.Art

2026 Metals Mentor

  • A smiling woman with long blonde hair wearing a green apron in front of shelves filled with painted jars.

    Barbara Minor (she/her)

    Individual Meetings: To be decided upon in agreement with each individual participant.

    Group Meeting:  Group meeting dates to be decided upon in agreement with the group and held on Friday, Saturday or Sunday - 10:00am-12:00pm CT // 11:00am-1:00pm ET // 5:00pm-7:00pm Italy Time

    Workshop Agenda: We'll spend a week in my personal studio, exploring creative problem-solving and bringing ideas to life through demonstrations and experiments in enameling and metalworking techniques.  We'll also discuss other relevant topics and answer (or discover) all those "what if I tried this?" questions.  Specific content will be determined by the needs of the group.

    My studio is one level on the ground floor. Participants may need to navigate tight spaces around certain equipment.

    In-Person Workshop Dates TBD.

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Our Incredible Staff and Resources

  • A smiling woman with glasses and short hair indoors, wearing a purple shirt, standing in front of a table with pottery items and a background of artwork on the walls.

    Mary Barringer (she/her)

    Word Up with Mary! A special opportunity for past and present Cohorts students to schedule time with a professional writer for review of written projects.

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  • A woman with a dark skin tone, wearing a black and white headband and earrings, is smiling while working on a pottery wheel in a wooden workshop. She is wearing a coral-colored sweater.

    Camille Beckles (she/her)

    As Community Coordinator, Camille maintains our website resources and social media.

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  • A woman with curly blond hair smiling in front of a red wall, wearing a black T-shirt with a red flame design and large round earrings.

    AnnMarie Cooper (she/her)

    Cohorts Manager with her finger on all the administrative pulses.

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  • A man with glasses, a beard, and a cap, smiling at the camera.

    Simon Levin (he/him)

    Founder, director, mastermind of the Cohorts program.

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  • Woman with glasses taking a selfie in a pottery studio, with shelves of clay pots in the background, holding an unfinished large clay bowl or planter.

    Liz Lurie (she/her)

    In addition to her mentor role, Liz is our Continuum Coordinator, in charge of creating each year’s Continuum offerings.

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“Some of my best teachers have been full-time studio artists. Linda Christianson, Michael Simon, and Clary Illian, all stepped into academia briefly to do sabbatical replacements for my professors. Their real-world experience, a lifelong love of material, coupled with articulate teaching skills, made working with them life-changing. The Cohorts.Art program was created with professional artists as mentors, these are people who I wish I could have had as teachers. Having one of these wonderful folks on your side for a year and a small group of committed colleagues along with you is a game changer!“
-Simon Levin