2015 Annual Fund Campaign

2017-11-08T14:06:57-08:00

Donate Now

Journalist Bill Moyers captured it best:
“Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.”

At The Crucible, I have witnessed the marvelous come to life in our studios: an old tree stump turned into a gorgeous wooden vessel, oozing molten glass coaxed into floral forms, an incredible gyroscopic welded sculpture engineered by an 11 year-old. Creativity brings pictures and stories to life and unlocks talents we didn’t know we had.

You play an important part of The Crucible’s creative story. When you make your year-end contribution to our Annual Fund, you are declaring that creativity matters in our community. And the creative community at The Crucible is what makes this place so special. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Listen to two voices of the over 13,000 folks we welcome every year:

“Because of The Crucible, I can now really say I know what I want to do in life (welding!) and how to do it as well. This place puts a lot of positivity in my life.”
–Te’von H., youth intern and future welder

“The Crucible has given me the knowledge, space and support to pursue my life long dream of starting my own artisan business. In addition to supporting my creativity, The Crucible allows me as an instructor to fan and fuel that creative spark in others.”
–Celeste F., artist and Ceramics/Blacksmithing faculty

Fantastic, aren’t they?

We need creative minds like these to push society forward, and The Crucible enables anyone—even you!—to push the boundaries of their creative exploration. However, tuition only covers 65% of costs to keep The Crucible fires burning–the rest is up to generous donors and sponsors like you! Your gift will sustain equitable access to quality instruction, tools, award-winning youth programs, and a supportive community for anyone who wants to advance their creativity.

Will you support creativity by making a gift before December 31?

Warmest regards,

David C. Miller
Executive Director

P.S. Did you know your Annual Fund gift of $150 or more qualifies you for a full year of family membership benefits? Donate securely today by mail or at theCrucible.org.

2015 Annual Fund Campaign2017-11-08T14:06:57-08:00

Winter Session 2015

2017-12-11T13:05:45-08:00

Register for winter in the new online store

Early bird discount extended – sign up by Dec. 21 and Save 10%.
Classes begin January 5.

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The new Crucible online store is open – and member registration for winter classes is in effect. Sign up by Dec. 21 and you’ll receive an additional 10% off.
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Our new, updated winter catalog is in the mail (some of you may have it already) and you can browse the pdf here. Public signup begins November 11.

Crucible members always receive an additional 10% discount on tuition. If your membership has lapsed, or you are not yet a Crucible member, you can renew or join here.

Winter Session 20152017-12-11T13:05:45-08:00

Lie-Nielsen Tool Event – 9/20/2014

2017-11-08T14:17:03-08:00

Lie-Nielson Tool Demo at The Crucible

The good people of Lie-Nielson were in The Crucible all weekend demonstrating the use of their gorgeous woodworking tools, and chatting about all things woodworking. We grabbed a few images to share.

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Lie-Nielsen Tool Event – 9/20/20142017-11-08T14:17:03-08:00

West Oakland’s McClymond’s engineering students building custom bikes at The Crucible

2017-02-09T11:39:21-08:00

Congratulations!! A great “ride” for McClymonds Engineering Students!

“It feels great that I have a bike that I made” – McClymonds Student

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They did it!! Applause for the McClymonds Engineering Students and the bikes they built themselves!

Thanks to McClymonds High School and The Crucible!

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PART THREE

The finish line is in sight! Besides sanding and painting, the bike-building students from the McClymonds Engineering Academy learn one other necessary skill – perseverance!

The Crucible offers classes and workshops in industrial arts for youth. It’s located at 1260 – 7th Street in Oakland, near the West Oakland BART station. For more information: thecrucible.org

PART TWO

To make their bicycle frames – the McClymonds Engineering students go to The Crucible for their “hands-on” lessons!

Just watch the sparks fly!!

PART ONE

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The students in the McClymonds High School Engineering Academy are gearing up for a big project with a big payoff – they’re designing and building their OWN BIKES!!! ONews will follow them from start to finish, so hang on for the ride!!

December 2nd, 2013

West Oakland’s McClymond’s engineering students building custom bikes at The Crucible2017-02-09T11:39:21-08:00

Maker Madness

2017-11-08T13:59:03-08:00

 

KRON4’S MAKER MADNESS features The Crucible this weekend

A fun five-minute exploration of The Crucible as a maker space filmed at the end of our 2014 youth summer camps

The Crucible’s long association with Maker Faire and culture is part of KRON4’s story in this documentary and celebration of all things maker. They spent a full day shooting here a few weeks ago and we had a great time showing them the studio. It was also the last day of our youth summer camps so there is good coverage of the Friday gallery we do with each camp for parents to see what their kids have been working on all week.

Our fall class schedule is up, so if you’re interested in learning more about any of The Crucible’s exciting classes, you can browse the catalog or sign up now.

You can see the full 60 minute version of the show friday night at 9 and Sunday at 7.

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Maker Madness2017-11-08T13:59:03-08:00

Bike Fix-A-Thon – Sunday, August 31, 2014

2017-12-12T12:18:45-08:00

Got a bike that needs a fix? Let us help!

The Crucible’s Bike Fix-A-Thon mechanics will get you back on your wheels again

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During Bike Fix-A-Thons, Crucible faculty and volunteers create a bike repair studio by opening our roll-up doors at the back of the building facing West Oakland neighborhood homes. Mechanics work at six work stations, each customized to examine and repair bicycles. Mechanics explain their work as they help you, deepening your understanding of bike repair and maintenance. The repairs include patching and replacing tubes, wheel and tire work, cable and gear repairs, chain repair and replacement, and seat and handlebar adjustments.

Volunteer bicycle mechanics are needed!

Please email volunteers@thecrucible.org if you want to help out. You’ll be rewarded with a coupon for 10% off any Crucible class, free pizza and soda, and of course, the gratification of having helped the West Oakland community get rolling again.

The Fix-A-Thons are a direct way to serve the needs of the West Oakland youth, providing them functioning bicycles and a greater knowledge of bike repair, and also strengthen The Crucible’s relationship with the local community, connecting with both the youth and their families. The workshops are also an opportunity for participants to tour The Crucible, learning more about other art classes and opportunities.

The Crucible’s Bike Fix-A-Thon
Sunday August 31, 2014
Noon to 5 pm
The Crucible, 1260 7th St, Oakland, CA
FREE to West Oakland residents, with priority given to youth

Bike Fix-A-Thon – Sunday, August 31, 20142017-12-12T12:18:45-08:00

2014 Fuego Youth Interns Celebrate Two Years of Art at The Crucible

2020-10-12T11:31:18-07:00

Sponsorship from West Oakland CASS (Custom Alloy Scrap Sales) makes it possible

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On Thursday, July 24, The Crucible welcomed friends, family, mentors, and instructors of our 2014 Fuego Youth Interns to celebrate the accomplishments of their two-year appointments.

Fuego07Fuego began in 2010 with six students selected to intern for faculty in welding, foundry, glass flameworking, jewelry, and blacksmithing. It quickly expanded to include twelve interns, three apprentices, and a broader range of internship fields with the help of sponsor and West Oakland neighbor, CASS, Inc. (Custom Alloy Scrap Sales). Now in its fifth year, Fuego has provided paid summer and school year opportunities for 30 young people.

During the Fuego program, interns focus on developing their artistic and technical skills, learning leadership skills, supporting The Crucible’s youth classes, and discussing professional development and exhibition preparation with well established Bay Area artists. Under the leadership of Carla Hall, Youth Program Director, and Stephanie Krause, Fuego Coordinator, interns actively participate in the organization and implementation of the youth summer camps, as well as in leadership development and training components taking place before, during, and after camp classes.

The 2014 Fuego reception featured a gallery of artwork created during their internship, showcasing their technical progression and growth. The interns also gave first-hand accounts of what the internship opportunity had meant to them and what they will take with them as they leave the program. Fuego mentors also shared with friends and family about the strengths and transformative changes they had seen in the interns’ lives over the course of their experiences. A highlight of the evening was the reveal of a custom-made artwork presented to CASS, Inc. to honor their years of sponsorship support of the program. The CASS sign, developed as a group project, represented each intern’s industrial art focus area–glass blowing, flameworking, MIG and TIG welding, jewelry, metal casting, and blacksmithing.

We congratulate 2014 Fuego interns Adbdollah Hamdan, Te’von Hayes, David MacDannald, Tiffany Sanders, Juan Ruiz, Maliq Nathaniel, Jazmine Schwinges-Williams, Gemma Baumer, Munirah Harris, and Jerrick Le. They have shown passion, hard work and dedication, and we know they will go on to do great things in our community.

Special thanks to Kris Karmichael and her team for catering and providing such wonderful service, drinks, and desserts for our families. In addition, our continued thanks to CASS, Inc. for fiscal and in-kind sponsorship of Fuego and our other youth programs.

For more information on how you can support/participate with the Fuego program, please contact Carla Hall, Youth Programs Director.

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2014 Fuego Youth Interns Celebrate Two Years of Art at The Crucible2020-10-12T11:31:18-07:00

Final 2014 Summer Classes

2017-12-11T13:20:00-08:00

So, what if you’re not going to That Thing In The Desert?

Spend a creative weekend at The Crucible, more affordably than going to the playa.

Yeah, we love That Thing in The Desert too. Plenty of artists, faculty, students and staff here go every year. But it’s not the only way to get creative. For less than the cost of going to That Thing, you could spend sixteen hours over a Saturday and Sunday learning MIG welding, TIG welding, or sculptural welding, neon, glass flame-working, enameling or jewelry making at The Crucible.
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Two-Day Weekend Intensives

Saturday & Sunday
10 am – 6 pm
August 23-24

How about learning to use an oxyacetylene torch to create a burn barrel out of a steel drum? That’s Sat.Aug. 16 from 10 am to 5 pm.

There’s also a women’s MIG welding class on Sat. and Sun. Aug. 16 & 17 from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you’re in more of a fine-arts mood, learn to add gold leaf to your jewelry at the one-day Intro to Keum-Boo (Korean Metalsmithing) on Sun. Aug. 17 from 10 am to 5 pm.

Or how about a 40-hour weeklong immersion in glass blowing or glass flame-working? At $1500, it may still be less expensive than the combined cost of a ticket, food, gas and miscellaneous supplies.

Of course, if you are going to That Thing in The Desert, then we hope you stumble upon one of the cool projects we are somehow part of, like Peter Kropf’s K9 bar-cart or the super-cool Between Dimensions. Or the ultra-cool Bike Bridge we helped build a few years back that is now being disassembled to go to the desert.

We leave you with this image of the Youth Educational Spacecraft Project, which The Crucible helped to fund and which sat at the base of the main effigy during last year’s desert event.

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Register using the links above, or by phone at 510-444-0919 x 103. Learn more about our pricing structure here.

Final 2014 Summer Classes2017-12-11T13:20:00-08:00

Twenty-Three Youth Summer Camp Spots Left

2017-11-08T14:46:42-08:00

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July 27 — August 1

Next week is the final week of youth summer camps. We still have 23 spots available in the following sessions (roll over class link for a popup of the description):

mornings: 9 am — 12 noon
afternoons: 1 pm — 4 pm
Twenty-Three Youth Summer Camp Spots Left2017-11-08T14:46:42-08:00

Tools to Table Open House

2017-11-08T14:48:15-08:00

Tools to Table: Fall Open House

Saturday, September 10, 2016 | noon-5pm

Celebrate and explore the tools and techniques of creating and consuming food and drink! Tools to Table will feature over a dozen areas of interest: featured food and spirit vendors, creative collaborations, and onstage demonstrations. Guests will catch amazing fiery performances, see exciting demos in our studios, and explore our student and faculty art show displaying the creativity of The Crucible artist community as it relates to tools and utensils.

Our themed Open House events are a great way to learn more about our 56,000 square foot studio and seasonal class offerings.

James Syhabout Jeff PringleThis year, we are thrilled to announce that our neighbor, James Syhabout, Oakland born and reared, acclaimed chef of two-star Michelin-rated chef of Commis and Hawker Fare will be joining us for a butchery demonstration at 4pm. Chef James is working with a local bladesmith, Jeff Pringle, to create a custom hand forged knife as part of the collaboration and celebration of Tools to Table. Chef James will butcher a 35-pound pig, which will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul. In addition, Hawker Fare and Commis will be selling pork buns and garlic rosemary peanuts!

Billy Hiebert will be making candy molds for limited edition cast chocolate coins by Jordan Michael Schuster. Billy is a “sculpturally committed” artist with a lifelong dedication to integrating the processes, materials, techniques, and activities related to clay modeling, molding, casting, and carving. Bay area native, Jordan was long ago nicknamed “Really Wonka” in homage to his penchant for producing chocolatey mischief and glorious delectables in equal measure.

Adam Lamoreaux, our neighbor at the Beer Shed, will be serving a few of his favorite beers in glassware sandblasted by Daniel Stauber. After founding Linden Street Brewery in 2009, Adam, with wife Alice, have been part of countless community projects, social gatherings, and civic services. As The Crucible’s Workshops Manager, Daniel brings together teams of people to create something in the industrial arts. A portion of sales will be contributed to The Crucible.

On the main stage:

  • 12:30pm: Fire Performance: Lara Hopwood and Shaina Johnson
  • 1pm: Flameworking demonstration: Michael Dickinson
  • 2:30pm: Fire Performance: Lara Hopwood and Shaina Johnson
  • 3pm: Cocktail demonstration: Roya Spirit signature cocktail with mixologist Erica Compton
  • 4pm: Bladesmithing and butchery demonstration Chef James Syhabout and Jeff Pringle

All studios will be doing demonstrations, including:

  • Woodworking GalleryCocktail glasses made in our glass blowing department
  • Pedal-powered smoothies with a bicycle blender
  • Butchering demonstration on the main stage
  • Waffle-making in our foundry with a special Crucible-designed sandcast waffle iron
  • Hammered forks and spoons in the smithy
  • Chocolate casting in our moldmaking studio
  • Fire performance

Learning opportunities, interactive activities, and artful displays:

  • Art gallery walk
  • Unveiling of our pre-apprentice
Tools to Table Open House2017-11-08T14:48:15-08:00
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