So Many Ways To Play With Clay
In the Art Studio at Hudson Street, Stina has the pleasure of working with each child in each classroom. Though she has met many parents over the last three years as the Art Teacher, she hopes to share a bit about herself and give a glimpse into the experience and enthusiasm she brings to the Hudson Street Art Studio.
Stina is a practicing artist as well as an art & museum educator since 2005, and a certified Early Childhood Montessorian, all of which she brings to each child’s experience in the Art Studio. Her approach to teaching focuses on materials exploration, process over product, and combines the experiential focus of Reggio Emilia with objects and elements of Montessori curriculum - all guided by the wonderful learners at The Washington Market School! Art is an amazing opportunity to connect with culture and community; most recently referencing their experiences cooking at home and school during the holiday season, learners were invited to use cooking tools with the clay as an opportunity for them to make connections with food, family, and provide another means for building narrative through dramatic play.
In the fall, the learners at Hudson Street enjoyed an extended investigation of clay in the Art Studio. Practical life and writing preparation work is embedded in these experiences with clay; using hands and tools with the material helps to develop fine motor skills and pincer grip needed for writing. They started their exploration by first working with just their hands, the most important tool; as Dr. Maria Montessori wrote, “What the hand does, the mind remembers”, referencing her pedagogical philosophy highlighting the importance of learning through hands-on experience. Loris Malaguzzi, a core thinker in the Reggio Emilia approach, has been quoted in agreement; “Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes, and their ears.” Malaguzzi often spoke about children having "a hundred languages," which includes their hands as a means of communication.
They discussed the differences between wet and dry clay and experimented with how to transform the material from dry to wet and back again, using canvas (to dry out) and sponges (to add water). The learners are always excited to discover the endless possibilities in the art studio, eagerly sharing their findings. They considered where they think clay comes from; they discussed that clay comes from the earth and that clay is similar to the dirt, mud, and dust we find at the park.
“I discovered something! Use the tools, make it wet then dry again!”
"It's similar to dirt, mud, quicksand, because it feels like it, it's a little soft and a little hard.”
Creative problem solving skills and critical thinking are inherent in open-ended clay experimentation; for example, they tried a series of challenges together for learners to become familiar with what clay can do; What are some ways to make clay flat? Tall? Round? Stand up? Into pieces? Stick together? Action words like pinch, squeeze, and roll are often used, in addition to ceramics specific tools and vocabulary such as “score”, “slip” and “wedge”.
“I made it flat flat flat by doing this (pat pat pat)”
Inspired by the work of the children, Stina will often share the work of an artist whose artwork explores similar materials and/or ideas as the work the children are already doing in the studio. Making connections between the children’s artwork and the work of a known artist can be impactful in building learners’ confidence and ensuring they understand their work to be just as important. Ceramics artists including Simone Leigh, Elizabeth Catlett, Sterling Ruby, Arlene Shechet and Rashid Johnson were all featured during our clay exploration.
Currently in the Hudson Art Studio, all classes are busy preparing for our annual “Small Works” exhibition. 2025 marks the 34th year that our school has come together for a special week to celebrate the work of the young artists at the Washington Market School. Tribeca has long been a vibrant arts community and our Small Works exhibition honors the youngest artists in our community and the efforts of their hands, minds, and hearts - while small, they can do marvelous delightful things that help us adults see things in new ways.
Stina has been collaborating with each classroom’s teaching team since the fall, tracking each class’s emergent curriculum and sharing notes and observations around childrens’ interests, skills and needs. The presentation of work and documentation that will be shared at this year’s “Small Works” exhibition reflects each class’s weeks of exploration, experimentation and discovery through process documentation. We can’t wait to welcome our community to celebrate the hard work of each young learner when the Art Show opens for families March 4th through 7th – more information to come, please save the date!