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Fire Performance, Welding & Blacksmithing

Patricia Chavez, a transplant from Tijuana, Mexico, moved to Bay Area to study psychology. After completing her BA, she realized that her true passion did not lie there but in the arts. Initially gravitating to the world of music, she satisfied her growing fascination with metal work by taking welding classes at The Crucible. Although you can still catch her dj-ing in San Francisco at John Colins’s Happy Hour every first Friday, Patricia can usually be found at The Crucible – either teaching a class, in MIG welding or square fabrication, while fabricating her custom fire eating torches in the smithy, or practicing her fiery arts.

While working at The Crucible as an Assistant Studio Manager, Patricia’s curious nature soon had her learning fire eating, fire breathing, and rope dart. Now proficient at fire performance, Patricia not only teaches, but performs regularly at many events, and recently was featured in the indie film “Daily Grind” and is preparing to shoot a performance for a death metal video for the Drummer from Hell.

The overall aesthetic of Patricia’s personal artwork tends to be minimal in nature; she pays close attention to the execution of her work while enjoying the challenges and revelations of the fabrication process. She has collaborated in the fabrication of a number of large scale art installations, and is currently helping on the Raygun Gothic Rocket project.

Jonathan Hyman studied fine art at the College of Marin and has been an industrial artist since 1971. Known as “The Tigster” Jonathan is certified in titanium, nickel, and stainless steel, MIG and TIG welding and is classified as a welder/fabricator. His sculptures are featured in private collections throughout the U.S. Jonathan recently collaborated in the production of the West Berkeley Gateway over I-80, providing specialized welding fabrication for the stainless steel elements in the monumental sculptures that symbolize the city, its people and its activities.

Jonathan can be found at The Crucible on Wednesday evenings, teaching his popular class, Sculpting with TIG, where those with previous experience with TIG welding learn the finer details and special techniques of TIG welding.

The artwork of Oakland based sculptor Cynthia Handel explores the relationship between organic and inorganic forms. Handel derives inspiration from everyday objects such as tables, vessels, seedpods and other organic and man made structures. Handel notes, “Examining my work, I realize I work intuitively, creating elements, collecting parts that reflect what and how I see and respond to my surroundings.”

Cynthia Handel is a sculptor who has been teaching cast metal for the last ten years. After receiving her MFA from San Jose State University, Cynthia was assistant professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, developing its comprehensive casting program including iron casting. She has taught at Sonoma State University, San Jose State University and other Colleges in the Bay Area, and teaches foundry and moldmaking here at the Crucible.

Cynthia’s work combines cast elements with steel, wood and other materials such as silk and beeswax. Process and materials are as significant to Handel as form; through casting, welding, carving, and building – each piece is the result of multiple layers of decision-making. Elements are added, subtracted, and re-worked to create rich surfaces. Handel chooses materials that exist on opposite polarities – the permanence of steel and bronze contrast with the fragile delicacy of beeswax, silk and salt.

See some of Cynthia’s work January 15 – April 30, 2009 at:

Gallery 555 – Oakland Museum
555 12th Street, Oakland, CA
Open and free to the public. BART, AC Transit and Wheelchair accessible.