Debra Disman

Artist

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Hand Building with Clay

enRICHment I

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enRICHment I

Working in clay with first to fifth graders…through Santa Monica’s CREST Enrichment program, at Santa Monica Public Schools…after school.


We started with pinch pots.


and then moved on to coil pots, using small balls of clay to roll the coils,


and spiral them into the bottom of the pot.


Some chose to smooth out their coils, so that the beginning or bottom of their vessel looked like a slap, or flattened piece of clay upon which curving coil walls could be built.


As more coils were added and gently pinched together, the pots grew.


Focused work for busy hands.


Here a group at another school creates faces carved, incised or built upon slabs of clay “gently pounded” into flat slabs, a second experience with slab technique, now combining slabs and coils.

The clay, magical earth, which rocks and rolls, and finds expression, or gives it, to the young makers.

 

Clay Play (2)Too

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Clay Play (2) Too

It is joy to work with these amazing (no, I am NOT biased!)  students after school, creating in our CREST Enrichment   “Hand Building with Clay” class.  Above are our pinch pot pieces, drying in my studio.

Below, students  in first through fifth grades learn to roll coils and join them together to create potentially large vessels…adding texture, leaving the texture created by the coils, or flattening out that texture to create a whole other look and feel.

Building up the pots step by step,

by rolling the coils, and pinching the end of one onto the beginning of the next.

Beginning with a spiral to create the bottom or “floor” of the pot.

Building up with coils takes patience, dedication, effort.

Starting with balls of clay, which are then rolled into a simple coil shape between the hands…

students then elongate the “rolls” (coils) on the table, trying not to flatten them out.

One coil is rolled into a spiral to create the bottom of the vessel.

The bottom of the pot can be smoothed out if desired…

and then built upon with the next coils.

How amazing to think that it begins with a deceptively “humble” mound of clay, air-dry clay in our case… and an intention learn, build and create.

I say, Bravo!

 

Clay Play

By

Clay Play

With CREST Enrichment

I had a blast with a wonderful “Hand Building with Clay” class at Will Rogers Elementary School in Santa Monica. With a span of ages 5-10, kindergarten through fifth grade, the students got along beautifully and created with gusto!

Here is a bit of their journey through painting, pinch pots, coils and slab technique!