On a Thursday in Pennypack, a group of older adults gathered in the InnovAge senior center, and began pressing their hands into clay — rolling it around, painting it and chatting with neighbors about their creations. For a population that often experiences loneliness and higher levels of isolation, the creative and communal activity is more than welcome.
“I love coming to this senior center here,” said Patrick Curran, a 74-year-old retiree from East Germantown. “Just to keep active. And, concerning the Claymobile, that’s one of the better activities that the center has, as they go.”
The ceramics class that the seniors are taking part in, is part of the Clay Studio’s Claymobile — an educational program that brings ceramic-making to sites across Philadelphia à la designated vans (aka Claymobiles) that’s been running for over three decades.
When Billy Penn visited, two Clay Studio teachers were guiding the InnovAge group to mold and paint ceramic pumpkins. For Curran, working with clay is not only a way to get creative, it’s also a way to keep active that doesn’t put too much strain on his body.
“I’m so glad I can still move and get around,” he said. “I’ve had four [surgeries], and I’m going on my fifth. My first surgery was an open-heart surgery. My second surgery was a hiatal hernia. My third surgery was a stent in the neck, and then my fourth was for a broken hand.”
Despite all of this, Curran is always excited for the Claymobile’s monthly visits to InnovAge. Although he had never worked with clay before, he’s found a passion for it. During the visit, he showed off a napkin holder and blue mug that he created in previous classes.
“I love making stuff,” he said. “It makes me happy.”
The Claymobile program visits a variety of sites around the greater Philadelphia area, including schools, juvenile centers, libraries and older adult centers like InnovAge.
“We work with a lot of arthritic participants,” said Tessa Kennamer, the Clay Studio’s community engagement manager. “So figuring out projects that will allow them to still express themselves creatively, find really tangible and fruitful ways for them to organize their day and make something beautiful — while still having that barrier — is something really special about the program.”
“A lot of what you’re getting from ceramics’ arts program is both the tactile technique-building and creative expression,” she added. “They’re getting to work with their hands, work on their motor skills.”
The idea that clay has healing properties is one that the Clay Studio is currently championing. The studio is hosting an exhibition called “Clay as Care” — all about the therapeutic and tactile nature of ceramic making — that runs through December.
The InnovAge center is not a nursing home, but provides older Philadelphians with care from doctors, nurses, and physical and occupational therapists. Many of InnovAge’s seniors come in for meals. They also have recreational activities, like the ceramics class.
Malika Turner, a recreation specialist at InnovAge, has noticed the positive effects that the Claymobile program has had on the adults at the center.
“Essentially, our goal is to keep the participants and our seniors out of the nursing home,” Turner said. “Our participants start at age 55 ranging all the way up. I think our oldest participant is 100. Some of them may have had a stroke. Some of them have dementia. So working with the clay is really good therapy for their hands. It’s a really good thing. Not only that, it’s crafty for them, so they really enjoy it.”
The Claymobile program comes to the InnovAge center about once a month. Two Clay Studio teachers guide the participants to make a specific craft, then they take it back to the studio, fire it in the kiln and bring their creations back for the next lessons.
“There’s a lot of barriers to entry to getting clay and having a place to fire it and having a place to process it, but the actual medium itself is very intuitive,” Kennamer said. “The act of pushing and pressing and molding requires focus and concentration.”
Many at the center give their ceramics as gifts to family and grandchildren. Regina Gladyspeed, 61, who had just finished painting her pumpkin, was making plans to share the autumn-colored ceramic mug she had gotten back from the kiln.
“I was gonna show it off to my daughter, because she swears I can’t do this stuff,” Gladyspeed said. “I did this by myself … I’m gonna show her this when I go up there for Thanksgiving, because it’s so nice. And then when I get the pumpkin back, I’m gonna take that as a gift.”
The Claymobile program has gotten many of its participants curious about ceramics and claymaking. Recently, the group went on a trip to tour the Clay Studio itself.
“It was a really nice trip,” Turner said. “They got to see other artists working on their work, and they got to see where the Claymobile fires their work, so they got to see the process.”
Many participants found this trip both fun and inspiring.
“I saw so many beautiful, beautiful things on the wall,” said Rosa Marrero, an 81-year-old from Puerto Rico who has settled in Philly. “I learned how beauty comes together, in a way … It’s really, really amazing because you don’t see that every day. You buy a lot of things, but you never know how they get there.”
Marrero said she wanted to take home all the ceramics she saw, but settled on buying a small vase.
“There’s an enthusiasm to be together, to teach each other,” Kennamer said. “To demonstrate one skill and share it, I think is really valuable for anybody, but particularly for people who don’t have that built into their day through a job or through school.”
For Marrero, a lifelong creative who woodworks in her spare time, the Claymobile class is the perfect outlet.
“It’s the touch in my hands,” she said. “I’m producing something. I’m making something for myself.”
“Once it’s touched by my hands,” she added, “it’s in my heart.”
The post A Clay Studio on wheels brings creativity to Philly seniors appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.
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