More than 90 people attended the fourth annual “Make It A Clay Day” event last weekend at the Redmond/Sammamish Teen Center.

This was the second of five events within the Sammamish Arts Commission’s “Special Arts Sammamish” program, where professional artists teach teens and tweens partnered with seniors or children who have special needs.

“The goal of all of this is the connection, breaking barriers and building relationships,” said Lin Garretson, arts commissioner.

All events are free to the public and paid for by the arts commission.

“They were created to reach out to under-served segments of our population,” like seniors and those with special needs, Garretson said. “It’s really very rewarding.”

At the two-hour “Make It A Clay Day” event March 19, students worked with various forms of clay. There were three pottery wheels for ceramic art, hands-on building activities with kinetic clay and sculpting.

The final, glazed sculptures will be available for attendees to pick up next week, Garretson said.

The next “Special Arts Sammamish” event, called “Au-Some Artists,” celebrates National Autism Awareness Month by bringing tweens and teens paired with students with special needs together April 30 from 1-3 p.m.

“Au-Some Artists” features activities like printmaking and music therapy where attendees can play with different instruments.

There is no experience needed to register and participate in the “Special Arts Sammamish” events.

Additionally, as the program has grown, and in combination with renting the roomy teen center, Garretson said they are able to open it up to more attendees.

“We’re about a 100-strong at these events,” she said. “And we feel like we can do even more.”

To register for the upcoming “Au-Some Artists” event, visit www.sammamish.us/boards/arts/aspx. Registration is first-come, first-served.