Wanda Goodman is the heart and soul of Wanda’s Creative Clay. She has created a niche within the “art world” that successfully enables children of all ages to realize their full artistic potential and creativity.
Website: https://wandascreativeclay.com/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/WandasClay
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I met Wanda about four years ago..
We both signed up for Art Therapy classes at the same time. During those sessions, we learned to work with a few different mediums and although I really love to draw and paint, I totally got into working with the clay. It was so fun and amazingly therapeutic.
It was during that lesson where we worked (played) with clay, that Wanda really stood out to me. I didn’t know at the time what an expert she really was in this field, but I was soon to find out. She made this really cute figure that had actual features and individual strands of hair and was all in amazing proportion! I was kinda in awe of her talent and started to ask for some tips.
Wanda was quite patient with me while I badgered her for those tips (well, not really badgered her…but probably had her cringing after the 10th or so…hahaha). Shortly, it came up in conversation that she was actually the owner/proprietor of Wanda’s Creative Clay, a studio where she teaches children of all ages (and their families) to work with clay and create treasured keepsakes.
On the last session of our Art Therapy Workshop, Wanda brought in some kits from her studio for us to take home. I took one of the kits home for my four year old (at that time) granddaughter and together we spent a fun, creative afternoon making some memories. This was mostly her work; I only helped a teeny, little bit.
Stuff About Wanda…
Wanda was born in Sault Ste. Marie, but she now makes her home in Mid Town Toronto with her two pugs and her parrot. And let’s not forget Wanda’s four precious nieces and nephews, three grandsons and an amazing group of family and friends that round out her life.
Wanda grew up in a large family with lots of kids so there wasn’t many resources at hand to hone her talents. She first realized that she had an artistic streak at the age of six when she would dig clay out of the ground and make faces on the sides of bottles. I guess that was the first clue that she loved working with clay….
Musical ability runs in the family too. Wanda got a lot of her musical talent from her Mother’s side. Her parents used to duet in nightclubs until they started their family and now, a lot of her family play guitar, cello, ukulele, the spoons and even the odd kazoo. Wanda, herself, plays guitar and does a bit of singing (mostly for herself because she’s too shy to sing and play for others). She has been in some classical guitar competitions, but because she started this interest late in life, she had to compete against ten year old kids. Some parents thought it wasn’t fair….but she was on the same level of learning as the kids. Sounds fair to me!
A singer/guitarist named Eva Cassidy, known for her interpretations of jazz and blues, was someone who moved Wanda immensely. Eva did a lot of covers and at too early of an age, she succumbed to cancer.
In her spare time, (when there is some) Wanda also loves photography, travel, poetry and reading! And…golf…she likes to golf!
Why I admire Wanda…
Wanda is a cancer survivor and her nickname is “Courage”. Over the last four years, Wanda has continued to awe and impress me with her strength and determination. On top of everything else she does, not too long ago, she took part in (and FINISHED) a 220 kilometer bike ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls. This “Ride to Conquer Cancer” is to raise money and awareness. Wanda absolutely, totally ranks up there as one of my top heroes! I am very lucky to have met Wanda. She inspires me!
Wanda told me that “receiving the diagnosis of cancer was scary…to say the least!”, but once she got through all the surgeries and treatments, she finally went back to work, where she felt like she was home. There is no doubt in her mind that the children helped to pull her through this with their laughter, their singing and even their brutally honest questions (which Wanda answered gently while thanking them for caring). She also says that she met others going through the same type of struggle and are thankful that they are still in her life!
How did Wanda’s Creative Clay get started?
Around the time she was 27, Wanda met her eight year old step-daughter and they began doing arts & crafts together. The little one asked Wanda if she had ever heard of oven baked clay….One thing led to another and before too long, Wanda and her stepdaughter were making so many things that they needed to write to the clay supplier and ask if they could buy in bulk. Imagine that!
Just for the record, the step-daughter was the one that came up with the name “Wanda’s Creative Clay”!
One day, a neighbor saw Wanda’s clay work and hired her to instruct during the lunch break at a nearby school. This fledgling business started out with seven children attending and shortly grew to have an enrollment of over sixty children per week! More than twenty years later, she still instructs at that same school, but had to branch out with a studio of her own to fill the demand!
Random memories
The atmosphere at Wanda’s Creative Clay allows kids to let their hair down, so to speak. They are open and feel like it’s a safe place to discuss problems or share ideas. Sometimes they even get very playful and mischievous…adding body parts to figures, that probably shouldn’t be added.
While hosting a Clay Birthday Party for an older sibling, Wanda watched the younger, two year old sister climb into a chair with her Mom’s cell phone. The little one was pushing buttons on the phone and Wanda asked the Mom what she was doing, the Mom replied that the little one was entering the pass code to watch a movie.
Wanda has an entire book of beautiful handwritten notes from children over the past twenty years. She says she has so many favorites, but one is from a little boy who wrote “Thank you for making me love clay.” and another that reads “I promise not to spit!”. CLASSIC!
Record Breaking!
Wanda’s Creative Clay broke a Guinness World Record in 2014 for the “World’s Largest Clay Lesson”. There were 588 people making clay elephants at one time. This, however, was a bittersweet victory. While doing this, they raised over $30,000 for brain tumor research in honor of Eden Worth. Eden was a Wanda’s Creative Clay student from the age of two until she was twelve when she passed away from cancer. They made the elephant holding a heart so they would never forget her. The reason for the heart is because Eden said that “a butterfly is like a heart folded in half“.
What exactly does Wanda’s Creative Clay offer?
- Creative Clay Camps for Kids – 1/2 day camps for kids in either clay or mixed media.
- Clay Making Classes – Sculpting classes for kids. Choice of group, semi-private, private, lunch hour, workshop or classes in your home or school.
- Creative Clay Parties – Clay birthday parties held in the art studio or in your own home are a great way for kids of all ages to celebrate their special day.
- WANNA BE WANDA – Occupy kids for hours, host your own party or crafty idea for rainy days at home or at the cottage. Buy kits for 1, 5 or 10 kids that include clay, tools, instructions and a link to an online instructional video.
