The Crucible’s 2017 Fall Open House

2019-07-05T16:08:58-07:00

Saturday, September 9, 2017 • 12 - 5pm

Designed to give you a peek into the programs and events we run all year long, our open houses are a wonderful way to experience the excitement of The Crucible!
The Crucible’s 2017 Fall Open House2019-07-05T16:08:58-07:00

Award Winners at Maker Faire 2017 + Photo Gallery!

2019-06-21T14:45:15-07:00

The Crucible took our forges, furnaces, and foundry down to San Mateo for Maker Faire’s 11th annual extravaganza!

Award Winners at Maker Faire 2017 + Photo Gallery!2019-06-21T14:45:15-07:00

Crucible’s Top Picks for Maker Faire 2017!

2019-06-21T14:37:11-07:00

We know Maker Faire can be overwhelming, so we went around asking some of our faculty for a few of their do-not-miss Maker Faire moments.

Crucible’s Top Picks for Maker Faire 2017!2019-06-21T14:37:11-07:00

2017 Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction Photo Gallery

2019-06-21T15:03:01-07:00

On April 8, The Crucible opened it’s doors for our annual Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction, a night of fire, feasting, and fundraising.

2017 Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction Photo Gallery2019-06-21T15:03:01-07:00

2017 Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction

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Saturday, April 8, 2017 • 6pm

Save the date for an evening of art, industry, community, creativity, and fire in support of The Crucible’s education programs. Join us in celebrating the contributions and vision of honoree Dr. Frances Hellman, who has been a valued member of The Crucible’s community for more than a decade.
2017 Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction2019-07-05T16:28:11-07:00

Hot Couture 2017: The Beautiful Ones

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Thursday, February 16, 2017 • 8pm

Friday, February 17, 2017 • 8pm

Saturday, February 18, 2017 • 8pm

Sunday, February 19, 2017 • 7pm

Since 2007, haute couture has been turned on its ear, Crucible-style, with Hot Couture — a spectacular flaming fashion show that features wearable art from the Bay Area’s most cutting-edge designers.
Hot Couture 2017: The Beautiful Ones2019-07-05T16:43:11-07:00

GIFTY 2016

2019-07-05T16:51:00-07:00

Dozens of leading artists, craftspeople, and Crucible faculty members will be selling their best hand-made pieces in a holiday celebration of local creative culture. With works of glass, metal, wood, ceramics, and more, you will find the perfect gifts for all the people on your list.

Seasonal treats, beverages, and entertainment make this an event all ages will enjoy. Parents of small children will need to pay special attention, as this space does have rough edges.

Saturday, December 10, 2016 | 11am-5pm

Sunday, December 11, 2016 | 11am-5pm

On Saturday and Sunday, we’ll have music, food, and drinks for sale, as well as demonstrations of Crucible areas of study. Our themed Open House events are a great way to learn more about our 56,000 square foot studio and seasonal class offerings.

Member preview on Friday, December 9, 2016 | 7-9:30pm

Like last year, we’ll host a special preview for members and invited guests on Friday evening. If you would like to attend the Friday preview, but are not yet a member, join here.

GIFTY highlights:

  • Live industrial arts demonstrations like glass blowing and foundry pours
  • Enameling and stamping for Copper Quilt commUNITY art project
  • Hands-on clay activity in Ceramics Studio (Saturday and Sunday)
  • Bicycles for sale in The Crucible’s Bike Shop
  • Crucible gift certificates available
  • Tickets available for our annual Hot Couture fire fashion show
  • Drawing for a free Crucible class
  • $25 discount on a class, if registered during GIFTY
  • Raffle for a New Belgium Fat Tire bike
  • Oakland Youth Symphony brass trio performing Friday, 7:30-8:30pm
  • A dazzling collection of work by local artists and artisans

Local gourmet goodies:

Share the Facebook events:

Friday, December 9 at 7 PM – 9:30 PM
Saturday, December 10 at 11 AM – 5 PM
Sunday, December 11 at 11 AM – 5 PM

GIFTY 20162019-07-05T16:51:00-07:00

Jewelry Studio Reopening

2019-07-05T16:52:42-07:00

Jewelry Reignited: A Studio Transformation to Get Fired Up About

Over the past few weeks, we’ve made big changes to our Jewelry Studio. These enhancements will give each student an improved workspace with better tools at their fingertips as well as provide access to more tools for CREATE members. Renovation highlights:

  • Ten brand new benches provide a dedicated, delineated workspace for every student
  • Five brand new SR series flex shafts allow us to put these powerful tools at each bench
  • New daylight lights at each bench with adjustable arms that focus the light where it’s needed
  • Five Knew Concept saw frames
  • New chairs for improved ergonomics and comfort
  • Thorough cleaning and fresh paint
  • Studio reorganized for better workflow and space utilization
  • Locks on every bench enable us to store tools in the workstation drawers, readily available
  • Power outlets at each bench will make it easier for casting students to use electric wax pens
jewelry studio improvements jewelry studio improvements jewelry studio improvements

Jewelry Studio Reopening Mixer

Please join us on Thursday, November 10, 2016, 6:30-8:30pm for a reception celebrating these improvements. Guests have a chance to win a free Crucible class, jewelry donated by Melissa Joy Manning, and gift cards from FLAX and Otto Frei. It wouldn’t be a Crucible event if you didn’t learn something; we’ll have a jewelry demo at 7pm and you can swap tricks of the trade with The Crucible’s fantastic jewelry community as you mingle. This event made possible by our sponsors:

FLAX art & design Otto Frei Knew Concepts Christensen Heller Gallery

See the Facebook event at: facebook.com/events/1118872518231340/

Jewelry Studio Reopening2019-07-05T16:52:42-07:00

Fireside Lounge – Fall 2016

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Fireside Lounge Open House

Friday, October 28, 2016 | 6:30-9:30pm

Join us for an evening celebrating local dreamers and creators, as we host some of the Bay Area’s most influential makers and artists. The Crucible’s Fireside Lounge illuminates the world of original artists, collectives, and innovators who create movements “Made in Oakland.”

The Crucible’s Fireside Lounge lets you see demonstrations of our industrial and fine arts for yourself. Catch exciting demonstrations and hands-on activities with Crucible faculty, including Glass Fusing & Slumping, Glass Flameworking, Glass Blowing, Glass Casting & Coldworking, Enameling, Neon, Bike, Machine Shop, and Paper & Textiles. We’ll also have live performances of fire eating, poi, and fire staff, as well as interactive fire effects.

Explore The Crucible’s studio and learn about our extraordinary art programs, while sipping wine and beer in a unique atmosphere. TART! Oakland and Zella’s Soulful Kitchen will be serving up tasty treats. A gallery of remarkable work by students and faculty will be on display, including art by the Ceramics studio, Daniel Stauber, and Rusty Noodle Studios. And you’ll have a chance to win a free Crucible class in a drawing.

PoppyWagon We are truly excited to have the opportunity to display a FLUX Foundation sculpture at Fireside Lounge. Flux Foundation aims to engage people in designing and building large-scale public art as a catalyst for education, collaboration, and empowerment. PoppyWagon is part of the FLUXcycles series of mobile sculptures that FLUX artists started creating in 2011. Originally made for the 2014 Maker Faire in San Mateo, PoppyWagon is a whimsical fire sculpture with bright orange buds inspired by the California Poppy burst and flames that you control with the push of a lever. The wagon is a custom-made cart designed and fabricated by FLUX artists.

We’ll see you October 28th for an evening of art, industry, community, and entertainment. This event is free and open to the general public. All are welcome! However, parents of small children will need to pay special attention, as our studio space does have some rough edges.

Fireside Lounge – Fall 20162019-07-05T16:54:14-07:00

Hot Couture Artist and Designer Application

2019-07-05T16:56:49-07:00

Call for Fashion Designers and Industrial Artists

Application submission deadline at 10pm on September 25, 2016

The Crucible is seeking designer and artist submissions for Hot Couture 2017, our annual show integrating bold design, visionary fashion, and fire accessories. Our four-night event, February 16-19, 2017, will feature artists and designer teams creating haute couture concepts that illustrate the intersection between fashion, traditional industrial materials, and fabrication.

For Hot Couture 2017, we are inspired by the boundary-defying showmanship of Prince. He embodies what we want for our fire fashion show: innovative artistry, iconic fashion, perpetual creativity, bold vision, and lots and lots of love. Like his collaboration with other talented artists, we encourage designers to build strong runway presentations that celebrate diversity and funk and excellence in all its forms. As such, the theme for the next Hot Couture will be “The Beautiful Ones”.

The Hot Couture fashion shows will take place Thursday, February 16 to Sunday, February 19, 2017. The final dress rehearsal (open to the community) will be on Wednesday, February 15. An initial run through/fire rehearsal will be on Friday, February 10. The Crucible will provide a materials stipend for each designer/team selected. Designers will have access to The Crucible for meetings, production rehearsals, and several fabrication tools. All artists and designers will be credited for their work and the contracted designer will receive four complimentary tickets for one of the shows (night TBD). The Crucible will hire and staff all production details for the runway show. This includes lighting, pyrotechnics, ticketing, security, hospitality, and front of house. Designers are responsible for hiring their own models, makeup artists, and hair artists.

Application process:

Professional and amateur designers are welcome. To submit an application for inclusion in our next Hot Couture performance, send your biography, contact info, and proposal to events@thecrucible.org. Larger format files can be sent via dropbox or hard copies delivered in person to The Crucible. Please include the following in your submission:

  1. Minimum 500-word biography detailing your experience or desire to create wearable art. Include any details of past experience, exposure with runway shows, relationship to The Crucible, as well as name, address, email, phone number, and links to social media and/or websites.
  2. Minimum four head-to-toe wearable looks to be created for the runway. Sketches or photographs (jpegs) are acceptable formats. Designers will be allowed to have up to 8 designs during their walk in this year’s show.
  3. All completed looks must be imaginative and well executed. Wearable is a guideline. We ask that designers incorporate some sort of fire into their runway show and/or designs. All designs should be flame resistant. Women’s and men’s fashions are accepted and encouraged. Hair, makeup, and music ideas must also be included as part of the descriptions for each look.
  4. List of team members, including hair, makeup, models, or musicians, if known. Designers are responsible for enlisting their own models, as well as hair and makeup artists. Each team will be allowed one model per outfit (4-8),
Hot Couture Artist and Designer Application2019-07-05T16:56:49-07:00
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