Clay - exploring, learning, enjoying

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life” – Picasso

Hands - exploring, learning, enjoying clay (3 yo)

Children in preschool are learning how to use and be representational with different media: paint, drawing, wire, clay, collage, wood, etc.  Children in elementary school understand many of the basic concepts, some sophisticated concepts with art materials and are developmentally ready to stretch their thinking.

I think it is important to revisit media as children grow and their abilities to think of how to use the media develop.

For example: Clay.  A soft, tactile media, mushy, squishy, soft, tactile. Easy to manipulate with hands that are developing fine motor skills. Clay becomes more complex as the child gets older.

I think only limited by one’s imagination. 

Introductions to clay should be messy.  Fun.  Relaxing.  Squishing the clay is a fine motor activity – muscles in the fingers and hands get stronger.  I like to say clay is messy – not dirty; an important distinction with teachers and children.  Clay washes right out of clothes and fabric.  It isn’t dirty like something yucky on the ground. 

Using scoring tool

Once children understand the basic technique of slipping and scoring clay they can build anything according to his or her age.  For example: animals, flowers, furniture, transportation, self-portraits. 

When I work with children, I always have some clay in my hands. Making shapes, modeling possibilities for rolling, coiling or shaping the clay. It relaxes my mind and hands and the children see me engaged with the clay and it relaxes them.  We are all present and having a wonderful experience, enjoying the clay.

One of my favorite things to teach with clay is making animals.

One little digression here – Cathy Weisman Topal has written a book entitled Children, Clay and Sculpture.  It is full of ideas and practical information. 

Sea Star

Back to animals.  I don’t remember when or where  I learned it, but clay is the best media to do three dimensional animals.  First a child can choose if the animal is standing, sitting or laying down.  I love offering the choices and seeing each child think about their decision.  The thing about clay is it is easy to infer an idea with a little manipulation of the shape (a bend here or there).

Using books or photos for representation helps with the glazing or painting of the clay pieces created. 

Dolphin

These are a few of my favorite clay books – they give me confidence to try new things.

The Great Clay Adventure by Ellen Kong

Clay: hand building by Maurice Sapiro

Ceramics for Kids by Mary Ellis

Hand –building Techniques by Joaquim Chavarria

The Sculptor’s Eye – looking at contempory American Art by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan

Clay is one of my favorite media.  Actually I enjoy anything creative and open-ended.