Customer Reviews

The Kids 'N' Clay Ceramics Book

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book is full of great projects for kids on the wheel and handbuilders. Most importantly are the helpful instructions on how to teach the wheel thowing process. I gave copies of this book to several new after-school teacher's assistants so that they could understand the teaching process better. It definitely helped.

As a student of Kevin Nierman's for ten years, since the age of eight, I have had the good fortune to be exposed to his wonderful teaching style. Kevin has the natural ability bring each child's inner creativity to the surface. He has challenged teaching conventions by allowing young kids to do whatever they want with clay, including throwing on the wheel -- and he has proved that young children can succeed and have fun working on the wheel. More importantly, he knows how to make working with clay FUN!

The Kids 'N' Clay book brings Kevin's experience and natural teaching ability into a format accessible to all. This book is filled with tips and ideas, a wonderful aid for kids who have any kind of artistic inclination. Although it is not necessarily intended to be a beginner's manual, it can be an excellent supplement to any art classes your child may already be taking. It is a helpful and fun guide to the wonderful creative world of clay.

This book replicates the exceptional environment that exists in the Kids 'N' Clay Pottery Studio. The opportunity for kids to explore their creative intelligence, problem solving capacity and social interaction skills is facilitated by the creative process as documented in this book. The book sets up the projects, learning scenarios and technical (easy) aspects of creating the same kind of nurturing child development environment in your home or classroom. HIGHLY recommended!

My name is Rosalie Waxman and I am fifteen years old. I have been going to Kevin's studio for about 10 years and I have succesfully learned how to center clay. The pictures and diagrams written in the book are on the walls of his studio as a helpful reminder to kids learning how to throw. I learned how to throw within a few weeks of starting classes, as did every other kid in the class who had a desire to learn. I started off centering a few pounds of clay and eventually worked up to about 20 pounds of clay as I got more comfortable throwing. ... This book is extremely helpful, and has some great ideas for ceramic projects.

I am twelve and I have been going to Kids N Clay since I was six. There are two things I would like to say... Firstly, it is not true that 99% of kids cannot center a piece of clay. I will admit that it takes practice but under the instruction... I was able to center a medium piece of clay by the time I was nine... Everyone who comes to Kids N Clay is eventually able to center a piece of clay. It is not as hard as [some people] makes it sound...
Sincerely,
Abby Falk-Rood

I love this book, as an elementary art teacher I love reading things that are inspiring and that promote creativity in my students without presenting everything step by step. I like the direction of how to put things together and technical items discussed...and the encouragement to take it from there! Great resource for ideas.

...I have been going to kids and clay since I was six. There are three things that I would like to say in response... Firstly, it is not true that 99% of kids cannot center a piece of clay. I will admit that it takes practice, but under the instruction of Kevin, I was able to center a medium piece of clay by the time I was 8. Secondly, I do not believe that Kevin's book is giving any false messeges to begin with. Everyone who comes to kids and clay, except for the really young kids, is able to center a piece of clay. It is not as hard as [they] make it sound like. And thirdly, I think that [she] should think about how many kids she has just discouraged from picking up a piece of clay
...

I have witnessed what happens at the Kids 'N' Clay Studio, first hand. She is underestimating the abilities of children! Kids from 6 to 16, with instructor supervision, not only center their clay (as shown in the book) but create magnificent pieces.

Nothing that is shown in the book is fabricated, I have seen it first-hand! I don't know what Ms. Cole's agenda is (to sell the coming book, listed in her profile, instead of validating the Kids 'N' Clay book perhaps?), but she is off the mark in saying that kids cannot do everything that is shown in the book. Just ask the 200+ kids that are currently enrolled in Kids 'N' Clay / Berkeley (or, the thousands of alumni!!!).

This book is an inspiration to help children develop, both creatively and helping their maturation process. Discounting the myth that children cannot center and throw clay is solely based on the systems that perpetrates the apprentice system and holds back talented people!

Be it known that Ms. Cole has sent several spiteful, threatening and vitriolic emails to Mr. Nierman in the last few days with no obvious purpose than to try and build herself up at the expense of Mr. Nierman's proven reputation.

This book really had some great ideas for kids of all ages to build clay projects. The projects are varied, creative and start from very simple projects for little hands - up to more challenging projects for older children. I recommend.

I am a fourteen year old student of Kids n Clay and this book is a great way for kids to learn how to throw and handbuild. Any child can learn to throw with practice and help and this book gives a kid what they need to know to start. From my first days of throwing to today I have grown so much as a potter with practice and this is something any kid with the motivation can do. I highly recommend this book!