Classes
Your January-March 2021 Classes Have Arrived
By Cathy Niland | 11.17.2020
A new year means new opportunities to get creative. We’re heading into 2021 ready to welcome more students back to The Crucible—safely—for creative exploration and skill advancement.
For the first time since March, we are thrilled to be hosting classes in our Fire & Performance department. Students can register for one of three different courses happening this winter. We’re also continuing to expand our Ceramics department offerings with the new Ceramic Bowls class that covers techniques for pinch pots, coil building, and slab building.
Many of our community members have been eager to get back into the studio. We aren’t quite ready to open our doors fully, but we are moving forward with expanded lab offerings in ten of our departments, including Jewelry, Neon & Light, Ceramics, and Glass Flameworking. This will allow individuals with experience in our departments to book time in the studio for personal projects.
We are continuing to monitor COVID-19 best practices and regulations and are prepared to make adjustments based on updated recommendations from local, state, and federal government. With rigorous cleaning practices in place, smaller class sizes, and social distancing guidelines, we are committed to keeping our students, staff, and faculty safe so all can continue to access the industrial arts.
If you’re ready to dive right in and find your next class, you can jump to all our January-March 2021 classes using the button below. Customize your search by department, level, time of day, and more.
With reduced class sizes, early access to registration is more valuable than ever—and only Crucible members get first dibs, plus 10% off class tuition—always! Become a member today to secure your spot before public registration opens Tuesday, November 24.
Check out our staff picks for January-March 2021 classes
Here are some class recommendations from Crucible staffers.
Enamel Hearts (and all classes in our Enameling Department)
Recommended by Susan Mernit
Executive Director
“Enameling is my jam! I love learning to enamel, so while there are many classes I’d love to take someday, I have my eye on the January 2021 enameling classes.”
Spend the morning making an original heart-shaped pendant for your valentine, pet, or yourself—just in time for Valentine’s Day! Sweetly sentimental or post-apocalyptic, the end result is up to you. Cut your own individual heart shape in fine gauge copper, add texture and dimension, then apply powdered vitreous enamels and fire in the kiln to add color and vibrancy.
Woodturning I
Recommended by Maliq Nathaniel
Lead Studio Manager
“I would definitely like to get into a Woodturning class next.”
Use a lathe to turn a rough piece of wood into a beautifully shaped spindle-turned mallet and face-plate mounted bowl. You will learn the basics of the turning process and cover tool usage, sharpening, wood selection, preparation, and finishing.
PRO TIP: This is one of our most popular classes. Don’t miss your chance to learn woodturning—become a member today!
3-Hour Taster: Ceramic Mug
Recommended by Melissa Gray
Senior Programs Manager
“I’m just really excited about our expanding ceramic offerings!” Melissa also wanted to highlight our Slip Casting with Plaster Molds running this December and Ceramic Bowls running in February.
Make a one-of-a-kind ceramic mug to enjoy your favorite warm beverage. Learn a variety of hand-building techniques in a single session during this fun, project-based class. Mugs are food-grade safe and great for yourself or as a gift.
Spoon Carving By Hand
Recommended by Kristin Arzt
Leather, Textiles, and Fine Arts Department Head
Marketing & Communications Associate
“I’ve never taken Spoon Carving By Hand because it’s always full but I have always wanted to learn. Mike Bray is just fun to listen to and his own work is really cool.”
Topics covered include different types of wood, grain direction, carving, shaping, and food safe finishes. Through short demonstrations and lectures, we will use a combination of power and hand tools, exploring the material for its functionality as a creative medium.
Elegant Stacking Rings
Recommended by Victoria Russell
Programs Coordinator
“I like the idea of leaving class with an item I can wear or gift. When I choose to wear jewelry, it’s always a piece with significant meaning. It’s also special because I made it myself!”
Learn basic soldering and metalworking techniques to make a set of stackable rings from sterling silver, copper, brass, and gold fill. You will leave with several stylish rings for yourself or to give as gifts.
Fire Poi: Introduction
Recommended by Rebecca Scott
Development Manager
“I was thinking the 6pm class on Wednesdays would be fun because it will be dark out and a good winter activity to spin fire outside.”
Both a dance form and a style of juggling, poi spinning is an expressive performance art that uses weighted lines swung in circular patterns around the body. Using soft, practice poi, you will learn basic moves, such as butterflies, weaves, windmills, corkscrews, buzzsaws, and fountains. You will also be introduced to the concepts of plane theory, sequencing, and in-spin, and anti-spin rotation. On the last class, you will set your fire poi ablaze!
Note: It is recommended but not required to take Fire Safety before this class.
Torch Fired Enameling
Recommended by Vanessa Zagaroli
Studio Supervisor
“I’ve done a bit of it before and it’s just a super beautiful process. I love the uncontrollable aspect of it, the end result is always kind of a surprise!”
Working on copper, you will learn the basics of how the enamel medium works and how to fuse using the torch. We will go over metal preparation, enamel application, and the special considerations of using a torch for fusing. You will leave with several completed projects, including a pair of earrings and a pendant.
Metal Furniture Fabrication
Recommended by Natasha Von Kaenel
Director of Marketing and E-commerce
“A lot of folks think you need years and years of experience to weld anything functional—and while years of experience definitely help—this class does a great job of breaking down the basics and students walk away with functional, metal furniture that they designed themselves. That is priceless.”
Going beyond basic MIG welding, this course focuses on designing and fabricating functional and aesthetically interesting benches, coffee tables, flower stands, cabinets, wheeled furniture, shelves, coat racks, and just about any other piece of furniture you might like to fabricate. Projects will be evaluated for feasibility and cost, given the time frame.
PREREQUISITE: MIG Welding I
Check out our January-March 2021 youth classes
Students ages 8-18 can choose from a number of weekend and afternoon classes in the new year, including offerings in Welding, Blacksmithing, Ceramics, and more.
Youth Leather Working
Learn techniques for working with leather, including cutting, edging, stitching, dyeing, and oiling. We will cover design, setting rivets, adding hardware like buckles, and safety...
Youth MIG Welding
MIG (metal inert gas) is the most common type of modern welding. It is a process by which a welding machine focuses electricity along a moving metal wire that is fed through a hose...
Youth Blacksmithing I
Learn to bend and shape steel in The Crucible’s smithy as you practice traditional blacksmithing techniques, such as drawing, bending, twisting, punching, slitting, and drifting...
Youth Jewelry and Metals I
Make a fashion statement! Using copper, silver, and other nonferrous metals, you will learn jewelry and metal art skills to create trendy jewelry of your own design. In this...
Youth Glass Flameworking I
Create beautiful glass ornaments, pendants, marbles, and more! Learn how to use tools and equipment like an oxy-propane torch to melt and shape glass with confidence. We will cover...
Youth 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...
Find your next class
Break down your search for January-March 2021 classes by department, level, time of day, and more. You can also type January, February, or March into the search bar to find classes happening that month.
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