The Crucible

Youth Ceramics: Mudslinging Madness!
In this class, kids can explore their artistic side and make a mess! Students will learn a variety of basic hand building and glazing techniques. As they learn to roll, shape, rub, pinch, impress texture, coil and manipulate clay, kids will create imaginative small-scale projects to glaze and fire for their very own.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Clay Mask Making
This introductory class provides a foundation in three-dimensional work and prepares you to become a sculptor. You will learn a technique that uses your whole body and breath, allowing you to be fully present in the process of making your art. We will cover techniques from traditional to more modern and unconventional methods and approaches.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Jazzy Clay Jewelry
In this exciting class, students will learn the basics of preparing, shaping, sculpting, cane making and baking polymer clay. Students will use their own brightly colored clay gem and charm creations to make earrings, pendants, bracelets and brooches. They will leave wearing their self-made accessories with pride!

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Cartoneria (Mexican Paper Sculpture)
In this class you’ll learn cartoneria, the ancient and popular art form of Mexican paper-mâché. Cartoneria combines Aztec styles with Spanish techniques and is deeply rooted in ancient Mexican legends, traditions and craftsmanship. In this course you will create fantastic and colorful sculptures from paper and recycled materials, using mythological beasts and characters as a starting point.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Wire Jewelry: Intro to Bling!
This class shows students how to use wire, colorful beads, and stones to make fun and funky jewelry. Students learn the basics of wire working, including layout and design, shaping, coiling, twisting, linking and finishing techniques. They will also combine simple shapes to create dazzling bracelets, necklaces, pendants and earrings that will be sure to impress.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Extreme Gizmos
Learn kinetic techniques to design, engineer and construct a mechanical sculpture, contraption or gadget with lights and moving parts. Using new and salvaged components, you will learn how motors, lights and switches work, how to create mechanical structures, how to create different types of motion and how to incorporate switches to operate your very own fantastical contraption!

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Soft Circuits
Soft Circuits is the process of combining a basic electronic circuit to an existing garment. The concept behind this class is to take any wearable such as helmets, jackets or messenger bags and incorporate an electronic circuit with LEDs. The class will include electronics, adapting used garments, and adding a new function to any garment. The class will teach hands-on skills such as hand sewing with conductive thread, how to use craft material for electronic use (such as snaps as switches). At the end of the class each student will have learned how to deconstruct garments and make wearable technology for fun and safe cycling or urban wear. They’ll also leave with an original functional item repurposed from their own garment they can be proud to wear. Youth must bring own helmets, jackets or messenger bag.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Super Sculpture
Explore your creativity in mixed media! This class is designed to teach students about the history, cultural significance, and process of creating with reused materials. Students will learn to work with wood, metal, paper and found objects to construct an amazing piece of art inspired by culture, myth, folklore and their own imaginations. Students will create an original mixed media super sculpture to display at home!

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Woodcarving
This class introduces basic hand tools and their functions through hands-on demonstrations. You will be given expert guidance through every step of the carving process, from brainstorming to sanding, as you create a relief project of your own design. Skills gained in this class can also be applied to stone carving.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Blacksmithing
Learn to bend and shape steel in The Crucible’s smithy as you practice traditional blacksmithing techniques using the forge and anvil. You will complete a project such as a hook, knife, fork or spoon.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Fused Glass & Mosaic Mania!
Students will learn color, pattern, design and form by creating beautiful glass tiles from art glass. Students will learn basic glass cutting, shaping, layout and fusing techniques to create amazing glass pieces. You will also use kiln-fired glass to create a colorful fine art mosaic that can be used as a coaster or wall hanging.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Glass Flameworking
Discover flameworking, a type of hot glasswork. You will learn to manipulate molten glass over a torch with confidence and create beautiful and unique marbles and figures out of colored glass.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Frame Alteration – Art Bike
Customize your bicycle in this exciting Crucible youth workshop! Students will learn basic fabrication skills in MIG welding, Oxyacetylene torch, grinding and finishing to reconstruct their bicycles. Bicycle frames will be stripped and students will learn to redesign and alter handlebars, rims, seat posts, and frames to create a unique, hip and one-of-a-kind look that will make them the talk of the neighborhood. Students are required to bring their own bicycle.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Glass-Tube Sculpture: Intro to Neon
Learn the science behind neon gases as you are taught how to shape, bend and manipulate glass tubes into letters and figures. Colored sand will be substituted for neon gas in the final project to create a brightly colored sculpture that you can display with pride.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Exploration in Metal Jewelry
Make a fashion statement! Using copper, silver and other nonferrous metals, you’ll learn jewelry and metal art skills to create trendy jewelry of your own design. In this hands-on class you’ll be taught filing, sanding, texturing and polishing techniques used in creating metal jewelry. You will leave this class wearing a creation of your own design.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Casting Wax to Silver Jewelry
Learn the lost wax casting process, an age-old sculptural jewelry-casting process that involves creating a positive model out of wax, using that model to make a mold, then using the mold to cast a form in metal. You’ll carve, cast, and finish at least one pendant or ring in silver, and experiment with different types of wax and their working qualities as you learn the techniques and tools of this process. Bring your sketches and ideas for jewelry.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Enameling
This class provides students with an overview of the ancient art of fusing glass to metal. You’ll learn about metal preparation and fabrication for enameling, kiln properties and methods for firing, properties of enamel, and dry and wet application techniques. No previous jewelry making, enameling, or metalworking experience necessary.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Radical Robots
Build a simple remote-controlled robot. From the wheels up, you’ll create your robot’s shape and personality from salvaged materials, mechanisms and electrical components. You’ll also learn soldering, mechanical construction techniques and how to remove and repurpose these items. Each student will receive a kit of motors, wheels and a remote control toy to use in their project.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Adventures in Sand Casting
In this introduction to foundry processes, you’ll turn your ideas into cast-metal sculptures as you learn the basics of metal casting. You will make a sculpture, create a mold in resin-bonded sand, and then watch as molten aluminum is poured into your mold. When your piece has cooled, you’ll open your mold to your very own finished sculpture!

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Welding
Learn to fuse, cut, bend and shape metal. This intensive introduction to stick welding (also known as arc welding) and oxy/acetylene torch cutting is taught by a technical pro. In-depth demonstrations and one-on-one guidance will be given on the safe and effective operation of welding equipment as instructors help you create a small welded sculpture or project.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth MIG Welding
Metal inert gas (MIG) welding, also known as wire-feed welding, falls between arc welding and TIG in the welding spectrum. Quieter and cleaner (and some say easier) than arc welding, MIG welding is typically used in production fabrication such as furniture making, light construction, and auto restoration. You’ll learn the basics of MIG welding, as well as plasma cutting and other fabrication processes. Knowledge of arc welding is handy but not essential.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth TIG Welding
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is a highly precise method of welding that makes clean and focused welds on everything from super thin to very thick materials. Using the TIG welding process, an expert can weld any metal that can be welded and can even join dissimilar metals. You will learn the basics of TIG welding by working with stainless steel. The class will also introduce the plasma cutter and a variety of shop sheet metal tools. The instructor will assign sculpture projects that allow you to put your creativity and welding skills to use.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Woodturning
Using a lathe, you can turn a rough piece of wood into a beautifully shaped spindle or bowl. In a jam-packed, two-day class, you will learn the basics of the turning process as you explore small bowl turning and spindle turning. The class will cover tool usage and sharpening, as well as wood selection, preparation, and finishing.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...

Youth Labs
Taking a lab is a great way to practice and perfect the skills learned in class. In labs, you can work on class assignments or your own projects. Lab time is supervised, but does not include instruction or materials. At least two youth must be enrolled in the lab. Labs are available in Arc Welding, Blacksmithing and Glass Flameworking.

Check Schedule & Sign Up...