For 15 years, A. Blair Clemo, assistant professor of ceramics in the VCUarts Department of Craft/Material Studies, has been bringing clay projects into the community through a variety of partnerships. But a single outreach program in July 2024 revealed a gap in arts education—and the potential benefits of bringing clay into classrooms for children with disabilities.
The partnership began as a collaboration between Clemo and Jamie Castner, a lead special education teacher at Grafton Integrated Health Network, a self-contained behavioral school that exists outside of the public school system. Clemo was invited to lead a one-day clay project for students at Grafton, many of whom have complex disabilities.
“When Blair came into the building that day, something amazing happened,” Castner says. “Our days are usually pretty busy managing different behaviors, but that day, there was only one call for assistance. It was almost like the clay took everything away.”
Clemo and Castner quickly recognized that they had tapped into a significant need in the school.
“I didn’t realize that Grafton doesn’t have art classes or have people coming in to lead a project,” Clemo says. “We wanted to take it to the next level, to seek out new community partnerships and develop a clay program with an emphasis on special education.”
Soon after, the Magic Mud Mobile was born. The pickup truck holds everything students might need for a clay project. It delivers the materials to the schools, where Clemo and a team of VCUarts students set up small-group projects in classrooms or cafeterias. Bringing the materials on-site is especially important to students at Grafton, who may find it challenging to leave familiar spaces or work with new people.
When the day is over, Clemo loads everything back up and takes the students’ work to be fired and glazed.
“We use professional-quality materials and high-fire clays, and we put everything through a two-firing process,” he says. “If we make drinking cups, for instance, they’re microwave- and dishwasher-safe.
“I want the students to know that they’re making real artwork—that their work is taken seriously and given the respect and credence it deserves.”
The Magic Mud Mobile quickly reached its capacity of 140 students after adding a second partnership with Dominion Behavioral Healthcare. This year, Clemo and Castner applied for funding from the Freeman Family Foundation to further expand their reach. With the help of a $10,000 grant, they are now able to reach an additional 125 students annually and purchase supplies, such as a dedicated kiln, to support the growing interest.
“The Freeman Family Foundation is proud to support this innovative program that provides hands-on learning opportunities to an underserved community,” a foundation representative says.
As the program has grown and evolved, Clemo and Castner have found that the Magic Mud Mobile is a perfect marriage of their skill sets. Clemo comes up with an idea for a project, and Castner thinks through the accommodations and modifications needed to ensure every student can participate. For instance, students with limited dexterity may find it challenging to grasp and manipulate the clay. Instead, they might use stamps or cookie cutters to create shapes or use a brush to paint the surface.
Together, they work to ensure every student can access the project and experience the benefits of having a creative outlet.
“There’s a calming sense when they’re able to see the clay, touch it, manipulate it, smell it,” Castner says. “There’s no frustration because clay molds with them and bends to whatever they want to do. That’s not something they can get from a box of markers or crayons.”
“They’re able to express themselves fully, with no limitations, and that’s something they don’t get to experience very often. That’s the most important part.”
