Fall Open House 2007

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Fall Community Open House

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Art Show and Open House – 2-6pm
Artist Reception – Featuring the Art of Githinji Wa Mibre – 6-8pm

Celebrating Art & Community

At The Crucible’s annual Fall Open House, you’ll experience the collaboration of art and community first hand with an extraordinary celebration of both in our centrally located 56,000 sq ft studio in West Oakland.

Featuring an expo of community organizations based or serving West Oakland that bring vital and important services to the vibrant neighborhood; an art show and sale showcasing the talents of our students and faculty, and a special artist reception (6-8pm) launching our new Artist-in-Residence program and artist Githinji Wa Mbire.

Green Living

Also highlighted at this event will be green and environmental living strategies, including solar power information and a special appearance by The Crucible’s celebrated biodiesel motorcycle, the Die Moto, recently featured on the cover of the August, 2007 issue of Popular Science.

read more…

Art Show and Demos

There will be demonstrations of glass blowing, bronze casting, and blacksmithing, a Bike Fixathon from 12-3 PM, refreshments, and the opportunity to learn more about classes at The Crucible, where you can learn to make art of your own. As the Bay Area’s hottest alternative art school, The Crucible offers classes in welding, glass, blacksmithing, jewelry, fire performance, and other fire arts.

Artist Reception
Featuring the Art of Githinji Wa Mibre
September 8th, 6-8pm

This is a special reception launching our new Artist-in-Residence program and artist Githinji Wa Mbire, a mixed media artist hailing from Magadi, Kenya. Wine and light refreshments will be served.

About Githinji Wa Mbire:
Githinji Wa Mbire is from Magadi, Kenya, in the southern portion of the Rift Valley near the Tanzania border. He creates his immense mixed media pieces from the remains of found artifacts that often reference the physical continent of Africa; textiles, hails bottle caps, wood from old houses and churches, are just a few of the elements that one would find woven it to Githinji’s pieces. Spirituality, peace and love are all themes that guide his work as well as his activities in the community. Githinji is the Co-Director of the Cornelia Bell Black Bottom Gallery in West Oakland.

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Events Gallery

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Click on an image to view a slideshow of pictures from each event.

Fire Arts Festivals®

Fire Ballets™

Fire Operas™


Theatrical Events

Fire & Light Soirées

Friday Night Events

Open Houses

Volunteer Appreciation Party

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Spring Open House 2009

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Celebrating Student & Faculty Art
Saturday, April 18, 2009 • 11AM to 5PM

It was a sunny Saturday and hundreds of visitors shared the excitement of The Crucible as the sparks flew and hammers rang out on steel. Youth demonstrators wowed the crowd with their skills, youngsters pulled parents upstairs to explore in clay, and everyone was invited to be an art critic for the day. Photos by Gary Wilson.


Photo Gallery – Click Here

People’s Choice Winners

1st PLACE WINNER
1st RUNNER UP
2nd RUNNER UP


Destination Unknown by Lee Granberg
(cast glass student)


Three Cubed Fractal
by Robert Revzan
(TIG welding student)



Fused Glass Plates
by Leda Contis
(fused & slumped glass student)
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Events at The Crucible

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Since 1999, The Crucible has produced a wide variety of events ranging from fundraisers to operas to community open houses. Maintaining collaborations with highly-trained craft and industrial artists, our goal is to reach far and wide into as well as beyond our community to make memorable annual as well as once-in-a-lifetime events.

In the past we have hosted or produced the well-known Fire Arts Festival® and numerous Fire Ballets & Fire Operas. Our currently line-up of annual events include the Fireside Lounge series and our Fall and Spring Open Houses. For a list of current planned events, please refer to our Upcoming Events page.

At The Crucible, people come together to share skills, and forge objects and friendships. In a world filled with automated technology, The Crucible offers adult and youth students alike a chance to get their hands dirty and make useful or artful objects themselves, from scratch, and from start to finish — and our events are wonderful opportunity to see whats been going on in these times. Please join us!

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Holiday Gifty Art Sale 2008

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Hot for the Holidays!

Shopping at the mall was never like this!

Support local artists and community arts education for youth and adults while you get your last minute shopping done at the Bay Area’s most unusual holiday celebration.

Whatever holiday you celebrate, spark it up with a visit to The Crucible’s Holiday Gifty celebration. Shop for unique and affordable gifts created by over 60 Bay Area artisans, and experience the excitement of our 56,000 sq. ft. studio, where furnaces roar and sparks fly.

• Handmade jewelry, glass creations, sculpture, clothing, ceramics and more
• Family friendly fire performers and the Von Stilt family with their flamedeer
• Demonstrations of glass blowing, metal casting, and blacksmithing from 11AM to 3PM
• Santa arrives at 1PM
• Prize drawing at 3PM each day; grand prize drawing Sunday
• Refreshments and holiday treats
• Learn about classes and workshops that will ignite your own creativity!

Performances by:
The Von Stilt Family
Prescott Circus Clowns

 

Check us out on ABC 7 News!

2008 Gifty Vendors
Ceramics:
T1 Ezme Designs
B25 Moriah Hart
B10 Susan Boggiano
B27 VAM Pottery

Clothing/Accessories:
B11 AC Clothing and Bags
T10 Alpaca by Karim
B20 Asian Accents
T16 Carolyn Yugo
B18 Celestial: Leather and Suede Clothing
B24 Daphne Ruff
B22 Dandy Brand
B29 Field Day Wearables
B19 Fiftyseven-thirtythree
T25 Jurnecka Creations
B26 Like Minded People
B2 Lucky Space Monkey
B3 Mani Padma
T30 Recession Clothing
T7 SuperSugarRayRay
B13 Violet Star Creations

Glass:
T2 360 Fusion Glass
T19 April Zilber
T6 DaVidRo
T8/T9 Fireworks Glass Studio
T14 Meri Page Design
B1 McKeever Studios
T34 Nightside Studios

Jewelry:
T33 19 Moons
T36 Aimee Golant
T20 Alma Flores
B4 The Art of Cheriel Jensen
T17 Back Porch Clay Works
B23 Baja Nights Jewelry
B16 Beadzilla / Crafts by Redvelvet
T40 Beebalalou / GewGaw Design
T29 Cara London Vintage Re Craft Jewelry
T38 Charmed Jewelry
B30 Colleen Mauer Designs
T4 Daria Salus Jewelry
T36 David Casella
T26 Elizabeth Wells Oppenheim Jewelry
T31 Found Treasures
T13 Gail Splaver
B9 Heart’s Desire Jewelry
T27 Heidi Tarver
B14 JP Design & Collection
B12 Just ‘Cause Custom Jewelry
T32 Kushlani Hall
T24 Monica Schmid / Regine Pfanz
T3 Nouveau Motley
T11 Paula Chan Design Studio
B5 Shaya Durbin
B17 Silver Productions
T28 Tiffany Berger Designs
T12 Twilight
B15 WELL & Pretty Fun / Rx Designers
Wood:
B8 Brad Adams
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Newsletter Dec 08

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Class Highlights
Last Chance for Fall Classes
Holiday Taster Workshops
Winter Schedule is Here!

Hot New Classes for Winter
Events
Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House
10th Anniversary Fire Ballet Fundraiser

The Crucible Recommends
The Crucible Holiday Gift Guide
Plasma Nation – Float Gallery
Celebrating Craftwomen
Girls Welding Reception

Faculty Focus
Tara Murray – Glass Flameworking

Ways to Give the Gift of Art
eScrip
eBay Giving Works Program

Join The Crucible Community
Call for Instructors
Volunteering

CLASS HIGHLIGHTS
Last Chance for Fall Classes

Calling all fire eaters – here’s a chance to refine your skill and learn new performance techniques from Kristina Cañizares, founder of The Nekyia and veteran performer of many legendary Crucible shows.  Fire Eating & Beyond intensive workshop runs December 13-14th.

Learn the ceramic Art of Raku at a weekend intensive workshop December 6-7th.  Bring in your own completed bisque fired pieces and find out how to use organic materials and fire to create incredible surface textures using this exciting process.


Raku Fired Ceramic Piece
by artist Kathleen Fernald

 


Get a taste of fire at our Holiday Taster Workshops

Where else can you learn a specialized skill and create a unique piece of art in just three hours? There are still some slots available, but register now to be sure you get into the class you want. Workshops run December 6-7th and would make a great early holiday gift or get you started on making gifts of your own.  Choose morning or afternoon classes in blacksmithing, sand casting, glass fusing or flameworking, jewelry making, and resin casting.

{Click Here to Learn More}


 

Winter Class Schedule – Hot off the press!

Crucible Members can register now for classes; open registration begins November 25th. If you haven’t received your schedule in the mail, look for it at your favorite pick-up spots around the Bay Area or download a copy here.

CHECK OUT THESE HOT NEW CLASSES!

Five new classes have been added this winter:

CERAMICS

Creative Clay Exploration for Parent & Child (3-5 Years)
Feb 11- Apr 1 | Wednesdays | 3 – 4PM | with Tachina Rudman
Enjoy this special time together as you gently explore the world of clay using art and fun simple movements.

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Newsletter Oct 08

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Fall Class Highlights
The Softer Side of The Crucible
Did You Know You Can Make Jewelry Out of Clay?

Continuing Classes in Foundry
Coldworking Glass Classes

Events
Fall Community Open House Recap
Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House
Call for Artists & Vendors

Faculty Focus
Evan Wilcox

Crucible News
E-Scrip
Help A Tree Find A Home

The Crucible Recommends
Handcar Regatta
Pacific Pinball Expo

Join The Crucible Community
Call for Instructors
Private or Shared Studios for Rent

FALL CLASS HIGHLIGHTS

The Softer Side of The Crucible

Yes we’re all about fire and steel, hot kilns and heavy machinery, but did you know that you can also get creative with paper, plastic, fabric and flexible light at The Crucible? Check out these classes – just in time for the Day of the Dead and Halloween:

Cartoneria – Create unique décor with this ancient Mexican paper art form. Class runs 8 Wednesday evenings and starts October 8th

Introduction to Sewing: A Crash Course – Dust off that sewing machine and learn sewing basics so you can make your own costume. Saturday workshop, October 18th

Reproduction in Plastics – Learn the secrets the professionals use to make flexible plastic molds to create creepy things…lots of them. Class runs 5 Monday evenings and starts October 27th

EL-Wire Workshop – Add sparkle and light to your costume or home décor with EL-wire in just one day. Class runs Saturday, September 27th

Vidita Mia by Ruben Guzman

 


Did you know you can make jewelry
out of clay?

Art silver clay is 99.9% fine silver that allows artists to create jewelry in less time then with traditional metalsmithing.  Learn all the basics of making fine silver jewelry, new techniques and how to enhance your current jewelry-making repertoire.

Intro to Art Silver Clay
Arlene Hildebrand • Weekend Intensive • October 4-5

{Click Here to Learn More}

 


 

Continuing Classes in Foundry

Here’s your opportunity to use skills learned in introductory foundry classes and delve into the details of metal casting and finishing with Kitty Hundley, a professional metal artist recognized for her ability to translate natural forms into elegant and useful metal objects.

Cast Clip & Pour – Thursday evenings starting October 30th
Bring your completed waxes

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Fall Open House 2008

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Fall Community Open House

Saturday, September 6, 2008 – 12PM to 6PM

Exhibitor List:
Oakland Fire Department
City Slicker Farms
DeFremery Park
Mandela Foods Cooperative
West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project
East Bay College Fund
Prescott Circus Clowns
Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Youth Radio
Trapeze Arts
West Oakland Discovery Museum
de Young Museum
Popo’s Pizza
BumpityThump
Youth Movement Records
CUE/Velocity Circus
What Now America
Propville Directory
Studio One
Oakland School for the Arts
Student Art Show – Best in Show Winners

 

FIRST PLACE
SECOND PLACE
THIRD PLACE

Photo Gallery – Click Here

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Newsletter Sep 08

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What’s Happening!
Art & Soul
Fall Community Open House
Fiery Fall
Fall Class Highlights
Got Workspace?
Old Jewelry Gets New Life for a Good Cause
Build a Mandolin or Ukulele in Just Four Days!
Fired Up Summer Camp Recap
Fall Youth After School Program

Mark Your Calendar – Upcoming Events
Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House
Crucible Recommends

News & Updates
Faculty Focus – Rick Turner
Join The Crucible Team

What’s Happening!

Art & Soul
Saturday, August 30th   12 – 6PM

Here’s a great way to celebrate Oakland, art, music, dance, food and the end of the summer! Stop by and visit ERV.  ERV is our Educational Resource Vehicle, a big red International fire truck with a full metal shop on board.  We’ll be there with live demonstrations of glass flameworking, welding, torch cutting, and blacksmithing.

{Click Here to Learn More}

 



Fall Community Open House
Saturday, September 6th   12 – 6PM
FREE ADMISSION

The annual Fall Open House is one of our favorite events – it’s when we invite everyone to come visit and get acquainted!

If you’ve never taken a class or visited our massive studio space, here’s an opportunity to experience the true nature of The Crucible community of artisans, makers, innovators, performers, explorers, learners, mentors, and creators of all types.

Browse through an expo of organizations that provide services to Oakland communities. Check out the work in progress on our latest community collaboration, a wheelchair access ramp crafted in steel by students, teachers, and youth.  Enjoy live demonstrations, circus & fire performances, food and fun for all ages — it’s family-friendly and FREE!

{Click Here to Learn More}

 

Fiery Fall

 

Download the new Course Catalog
and Fall Schedule today!

{Click Here to Learn More}

“Back to School” at The Crucible is always something
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Newsletter Aug 08

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Still Time For Summer Fun
Family Fun Weekends
Get Fired Up For Fall
Download our new catalog and schedule
Fall Registration Begins

Mark Your Calendar – Upcoming Events
Fall Community Open House
Design Within Reach
American Craft Show
Holiday Gifty Art Sale & Open House

News & Updates
Call for Artists & Vendors for Holiday Gifty
The Crucible Gets Even More Accessible
Old Jewelry Gets New Life for a Good Cause
2008 Fire Arts Festival Recap
Faculty Focus

Still Time For Summer Fun!

Family Fun Weekends
August 16-17th and August 23-24th

Youth summer camps at The Crucible are running at near full capacity, but you can still have a great weekend with your family exploring and learning new things together – like how to make a welded sculpture for your yard, jewelry of your own design, a glass ornament, or an illuminated sculpture.

{Click Here to Learn More}

 

Get Fired Up For Fall

 

Download the new Course Catalog
and Fall Schedule today!

Open registration begins August 7th; classes begin September 22nd. Crucible members can register NOW for fall classes! If you haven’t received your new catalog and fall class schedule in the mail, you can find it on line, at your favorite pick-up spot throughout the Bay Area, or drop by The Crucible to pick one up.  Check out all the great classes on tap for 2008-2009, and plan for fall fun.

If you have previous experience in Blacksmithing, and an interest in sword making or medieval arts, you’ll appreciate our exciting fall classes in Bladesmithing (September 22nd) and Medieval Helmet Making with Tom Hugenin (October 4th).   Those with experience in Jewelry can participate in the three-day Radical Jewelry Makeover Project, and help transform old unused jewelry into new designs that will be sold to benefit mining reform efforts that will decrease mining waste.

If you’ve never had experience with fire, glass or metal before, no problem – there are tons of classes where you can give it a try – whether you just want to dabble for a day or weekend, or totally immerse yourself for weeks. Classes in our schedule marked with the gear symbol qualify for our

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