By Kristin Arzt

Take your idea of a vacation – whether you’re renting a beach house or taking a road trip – and add some fire, molten glass, and beautiful artwork you’ve created. Did we mention you don’t even have to leave town? Take MAKE-cation at The Crucible! Weeklong workshops are a great opportunity to dive deep into a subject area, and learn the theory, principles, and extensive techniques that will help you complete your own projects. And, studies have shown that taking time off from work makes us more creative and productive at work, and healthier and happier people.

1. It encourages creative thinking

Chances are your office is not an ideal place to inspire new ideas and approaches. Aside from the obvious that you will be creating art on a MAKE-cation at The Crucible, taking time off from work is proven to encourage creativity. A recent study by National Institute of Health shows that creativity is not sourced from a dominant “side” of the brain, but it is the product of reduced control over what is happening inside of your mind, leading you to consider new ideas and think more freely. Having a less rigid schedule and taking time off grants your brain space to think creatively.

2. It prevents burnout

It is a both a personal and professional advantage of taking time off to completely detach from work. Allie B. told us after her Glass Blowing weeklong, “I was able to take Glass Blowing without work fatigue, allowing me to completely focus on creating.” Sabine Sonnentag, Professor of Organizational Psychology at the University of Mannheim, found that the inability to disengage from work causes symptoms of work fatigue, which are detrimental to well-being and productivity. Sonnentag also found that detaching from work makes us more productive when at work. After returning from time off, 64 percent of people say that they were ”refreshed and excited to get back to my job.”

3. It makes you healthier

After tracking employees for twenty years, the Framingham Heart Study found that men who didn’t take a vacation for several years were 30% more likely to have heart attacks, and women who took a vacation every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop heart disease or have a heart attack compared to women who vacationed twice a year.

Join us for a deep dive into creative exploration – out of the office. See below for all of our upcoming weeklong workshops!

TAKE A MAKE-CATION

Upcoming Weeklong Classes

TIG Welding I

Welcome back TIG Welding I to our weeklong schedule! It has been many years since we offered TIG Welding I in the weeklong format. TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) or GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding) is the type of welding commonly used for delicate work and non-ferrous metals, like bronze and aluminum.

Casting Wax to Silver

This is the first time students can take this popular class in a weeklong format! Learn the ancient process of lost wax casting sculptural jewelry. Experimenting with different types of wax, you will carve, cast, and finish at least one small object (fetish, pendant or ring) in silver.

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. We will cover a variety of techniques including color pulling and applying, color pattern application, and marble making.

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 to a handheld torch. Student learn about the fundamentals of MIG welding, such as metallurgy, preparation, joints, technique, and safety, as well as the basics of plasma torch cutting.

Enameling I

Discover the ancient art of fusing glass to metal. You will learn techniques in metal preparation and fabrication for enameling, kiln properties and firing methods, properties of enamel, and dry and wet applications.

Blacksmithing I

Learn the basics of blacksmithing! This class teaches the fundamental skills needed to forge steel and understand blacksmithing tools. We will introduce tapering, upsetting, flattening, dishing, and bending of hot steel. Students make small projects, such as spoons, knives, forks, and hooks.

Woodworking I

Our most popular weeklong workshop – Woodworking I – is already full! But you are welcome to  join the waitlist or sign up to be notified the next time this class is running!

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