Art from The Clay Studio

 The name Claymobile can be misleading. Even if one of the program’s two mini-vans is tan—virtually the color of clay—there isn’t a kiln inside of it (or inside the white van, either), though both have Claymobile’s logo on their sides. Effective, the vans are often stopped, and the drivers are asked: How can I get Claymobile to come to my school?

“Kids and clay are just the best combination in the entire world,” says Annette Monnier, the outreach program director for The Clay Studio whose Claymobile, its mobile ceramic arts program, reaches underserved schools and social service organizations, like the Youth Study Center, throughout Philadelphia and its surrounding counties. The program brings ceramic art classes into schools and centers that wouldn’t otherwise have an artistic outlet, or where art classes have been the victim of budget cuts.

Since 1994, Claymobile has filled a void, and become a model for other clay centers. Teachers develop projects in conjunction with cross-curricular content. Ceramics is presented as “another way of learning,” says The Clay Studio President and CEO Amy Sarner Williams.

Education and Promotion of Ceramic Arts

As Philadelphia's only nonprofit solely dedicated to the education and promotion of the ceramic arts, The Clay Studio in Old City is a dynamic community-centered urban institution and an international leader in its field. Founded in 1974, the non-profit supports artist residencies, a gallery, community studio space, classes and educational outreach programs like Claymobile, the one program that best delivers The Clay Studio’s message: Broad access to art and art education cuts a swathe of exactly what it means to be human.

“Arts change a person’s nature,” Williams says. “A creative experience often alters the way a child looks at himself and the world. (Claymobile) is certainly our program that pulls at the most heartstrings.”

Annually, Claymobile reaches between 1,500 and 2,000 students in 60 schools and another 15 institutions—like homeless shelters for women and children and senior centers—that request anywhere from six to 12 weeks of instruction, once a week for 90 minutes. Whatever is made through Claymobile is brought back to The Clay Studio’s support center and fired.

Resident Artist

One resident artist at William Cullen Bryant Elementary School at 60th & Cedar Ave. in West Philadelphia relays the story of a female student who observed: “This is the only class where we get to help each other do things.”

“When you’re in a class, what’s beautiful is that  you know when it’s working,” says Monnier, who began as a Claymobile teacher. “You see the pieces coming together. You see learning right in front of you.”

Of course, all offerings at The Clay Studio depend on available funding through grants, public funds, private corporations and individuals. Last June, Clay Studio received one of eight of the city’s Youth Arts Enrichment Grants.

“If we had a third van we could enhance the [Claymobile] program,” Williams says. “So much depends on the support of our funding community—and it’s a good one in Philadelphia.”

All totaled, The Clay Studio reaches 35,000 people a year, usually 1,500 alone on a well-attended First Friday, when free workshops often prompt some to follow-up with a Date Night (every third Friday), or to take a workshop.

This June, following a May 26 preview party, there will be an exhibition—called “Our Community”—of all the studio’s work.

Artists Move to Philadelphia

On June 3, for that First Friday, the entire 12,000 square foot studio, at 139 North 2nd Street, in Philadelphia, will be open to the public. The space includes a first-floor gallery and shop, second-floor space for 40 community artists, third-floor classrooms and guest artist space and fourth-floor space for the studio’s flagship resident artist program reserved for 12 of the finest emerging talents fresh out of graduate MFA programs who earn their spots through a competitive application process. They have free studio space for up to five years. “Artists move to Philadelphia for the opportunity,” Williams says.

Claymobile has its own exhibition each February. “The work is so free and incredibly expressive,” Williams says. “The spirits of the kids shine through.”

At the Claymobile Creative Show, kids and their families attend. The student opening differs from those for adults: All the food gets eaten. Inhaled, really.

“It’s one big party,” Monnier says. “You wouldn’t think there would be that many possibilities, but you would be amazed at what the same assignments yield because the creativity of kids is amazing.”

At The Clay Studio over 50 artists are working in the building at any time. Clay remains an incredible teaching tool because it’s so immediate. “You can’t put a chunk of clay in front of a person without him wanting to play with it,” Monnier says.