Blog
Our blog features articles on events, projects, programs, and people in The Crucible’s community. To stay up to date, subscribe to our weekly enewsletter and follow us on social media! We are the most active on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Meet the Crucible’s Four New Board Members For 2021
Equity, access, and facing the pandemic are challenges our Board will continue to tackle for the foreseeable future. And to support these efforts, we are pleased to welcome four...
22 Folks to Celebrate The Crucible’s 22 Years
This year was one of the most challenging in our 22-year history. Knowing we would be unable to come together in-person, we asked our community of faculty and staff to nominate who...
The Top Ten Bright Spots That Kept Us Going In 2020
2020; it’s a year we won’t soon forget. A year that impacted our entire community, friends, families, and neighbors. But it was also a testament to the dedication of The...
The Crucible Is Partnering With Curative To Pilot A COVID Testing Site
The Crucible is pleased to announce a new partnership with Curative, a COVID-19 testing company that is transforming healthcare delivery. Curative provides quick, easy, and...
A Bike Shop Expansion Long In The Making Takes Shape At The Crucible
The Crucible Bike Shop has long been the community outreach arm of The Crucible. It serves West Oakland youth through our Earn-A-Bike program and supports the West Oakland...
Are You The Senior Studio Supervisor We’re Looking For?
The Crucible is hiring for a full-time Senior Studio Supervisor position. Crucible staff enjoy great benefits, including free tuition on seven Crucible classes a year, paid time...
Update re: Alameda County Stay-at-home Order
In accordance with Alameda County’s regional stay-at-home order, The Crucible will cancel all adult classes while the order is in effect....
Valerie Fish, Stained Glass Artist, Gives Back In Support Of Crucible Youth
For the past few years, Valerie Fish has found inspiration for her stained glass all around her, be it California poppies or a drawing by her son. As a longtime maker, Valerie...
How Embroidered Logo Hats Turned A Creative Outlet Into Support
Crucible member and volunteer Robert Graf is a self-identified problem solver. He has taken classes in fourteen of our nineteen departments since 2014, including Blacksmithing,...
Join Our Team As The New Studio Operations Technician
The Crucible is hiring for a full-time Studio Operations Technician position. Crucible staff enjoy great benefits, including free tuition on seven Crucible classes a year, paid...
Your January-March 2021 Classes Have Arrived
As we head into the end of 2020, we’re still taking a slow, measured approach to re-opening, but are excited to be moving forward with new classes and expanded offerings for...
9 Meaningful Employee Gifts | Staff Gift Ideas | The Crucible
This holiday season, boost company morale for your employees with meaningful holiday gifts while supporting local businesses....
5 Local Gift Ideas for 2021 | Buying Local Gifts
The gift-giving season is just around the corner! Many local artists and small businesses are gearing up for the holidays. Shopping early is a great way to ensure your gifts arrive...
Support Local Artists
With in-person events and markets back in 2021, you can support local makers this holiday season. Read on to learn how you can support local artists....
Get Inspired By Artists Working to Get Out The Vote
You've heard it a million times, but it's always worth repeating: vote! We know first-hand that artists are leaders when it comes to politics and the big issues, and with so much...
Your Guide to November – December Classes: New, Rare, And Popular Finds
As we head into the end of 2020, we’re still taking a slow, measured approach to re-opening, but are excited to be moving forward with new classes and expanded offerings for...
Spooky Season Has Arrived At The Crucible
Somehow, it’s already October, and that means it is officially spooky season at The Crucible. But how do we celebrate the holiday while practicing social distancing? Art of course!...
Abisola Coretta Explores Science Through Art At The Crucible
When Abisola Coretta began her Ph.D. program, she had never heard of The Crucible. “Speaking with a professor at Stanford, they mentioned The Crucible as being a really cool maker...
Glass Artist Supports The Crucible With…Coffee?
Former faculty Etai Rahmil launched a Kickstarter for Pure Over, an all-glass pour-over coffee maker, that will support The Crucible as the company grows....
$10 Off Classes This Saturday 9/12 To Mark Our Fall Open House
Another passing annual event date reminds us that nothing is the same in 2020. This Saturday was scheduled to be our Fall Open House, an event known for its impressive live...
Starting in September, The Crucible will pilot subsidized hands-on classes to help fill gaps in school remote instruction
The Crucible is announcing a pilot program of day-time youth classes, so young people can access quality, hands-on instruction during this difficult time....
It’s Here! Your Guide To 2020 Fall Classes
Today marks our first member registration for adult classes since the Covid-19 pandemic forced our doors closed in March. Since then, our staff has been working tirelessly to...
Your Oakland and Bay Area Artists Mask Guide Is Here!
Masks. They’re on everybody’s minds (and faces) these days and they aren’t going anywhere for a while. A recent study by The Lancet found that wearing a mask reduces your risk of...
Simha Furaha Has A Backup Plan While The Crucible Hot Shop Is Closed
Two years after taking his first Crucible class, Simha Furaha stepped into the Hot Shop and fell in love with Glass Blowing. From 2018-19, he was a Fuego Youth Leader in that...
2020 Youth Summer Camp Photos: Fashionable Masks And Future Makers
Camp at The Crucible has officially kicked off! Stay up to date on all the cool projects by our students in our 2020 Youth Summer Camp Photos!...
Become A Monthly Donor And Get An Exclusive Gift
We are forging ahead with reopening and need your support to continue. Become a monthly donor and receive an exclusive forged gift!...
A Reimagined Fuego Youth Leadership Program For Summer 2020
Like most things, we weren’t sure our Fuego Youth Leadership Program would run this summer. But with modifications to shelter-in-place orders, the introduction of new health and...
2020 Adult Classes Health and Safety Guidelines
The Crucible is excited to announce that we will also be able to start offering a small number of adult classes—with new health and safety policies in place in accordance with the...
#BlackLivesMatter And Ways To Support Our Black Community Members
Centering this moment on leadership from people of color and those most directly impacted by what is happening is essential to us. We honor our local and national leaders of color...
Important Update From Our Executive Director, May 27, 2020
After running our budget projections and considering the costs of new, smaller class sizes for the foreseeable future, as well as the necessary safety and sanitation expenses to...
Virtual Artist Talk: Rob Nehring
Please join us Friday, June 5, for our next virtual artist talk with Crucible faculty member, Rob Nehring, of our Welding Department. Rob has been a part of The Crucible community...
Virtual Artist Talk: Nico Chen
Please join us Friday, May 22 for our next virtual artist talk. We’ll be speaking with Nico Chen, writer, photographer, and critical learning scientist focused on reimagining...
Upgrading The Crucible During The Covid 19 Crisis
This past week, Alameda county extended its shelter-in-place order through May 31, meaning The Crucible will remain closed for at least another month. While we miss gathering with...
Virtual Artist Talk: Lara Hopwood
During this Virtual Artist Talk, Oakland artist and fire performer, Lara Hopwood will discuss her early introduction to fire dance, how she goes about planning a fire performance,...
These 6 Artists Will Inspire You—Get Your Soiree Art Preview
Today would have been The Crucible’s Fire & Light Soirée and Art Auction, our annual fundraiser that generates over $250,000 to fund scholarships and support for our industrial...
Virtual Artist Talk: Whimsical and Functional Glass With Sam Schumacher
During this Virtual Artist Talk, Oakland artist and founder of Rocket Glass Works, Sam Schumacher will discuss the inspiration behind his glass work....
Your Guide To A Creative Shelter-In-Place
Art, making, and creativity have sown to be invaluable resources. Studies show that being creative—no matter your skill level—can improve your mood, relieve stress and anxiety, and...
Virtual Artist Talk: Creating Culture Through Ceramics With Rosa Dorantes
Please join us this Friday for a virtual artist talk with Oakland artist, Rosa Dorantes, an accomplished ceramist with over twenty years of experience. Since Rosa became The...
Virtual Artist Talk: Metalworking Beyond Borders With Karen Smith
Please join us this Friday for a virtual artist talk with Oakland artist, Karen Smith. We'll discuss her philosophy on art-making, how it influences her artistry and metalwork, and...
Virtual Artist Talk: Repujado History, Family, and Culture
Join The Crucible for our first-ever virtual artist talk with Oakland repujado artist, Rachel-Anne Palacios. We'll discuss her metal embossing practice and how her work reflects...
Nine Oakland Public Art Displays You Can Explore While Social Distancing
Oakland is a city known for its art—it's often listed as one of the main attractions for visitors. Normally, we have the privilege of seeing art come to life in our studio on a...
Buy Art Direct From Artists Who Need Your Support
Studio closures around The Bay Area have had a major impact on the maker community. Our working artists—whether they sell original art, depend on commission work, or are regular...
Resources For Artists And Community During Coronavirus Shutdowns
While our community faces widespread changes, we wanted to share some resources to help artists, Oaklanders, the greater Bay Area, and beyond find support during Covid-19...
What Closing The Doors Means and How You Can Help
On Saturday, The Crucible made the decision to temporarily close to the public to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. On Monday, Alameda County ordered all non-essential...
Closing For Now—Caring For Our Community
In light of public health recommendations to increase social distancing and reduce the incidence and spread of COVID-19 Coronavirus, The Crucible will be closed to the public...
Educational Response Vehicle Goes For A Test Drive To Oakland Roots
This past Saturday, we rolled up our front gate and took our brand new ERV—short for Educational Response Vehicle—on the road to the Oakland Roots game at Laney College Stadium...
Addressing Coronavirus Concerns
Over the past couple weeks, you have likely heard of the Covid-19 Coronavirus that is raising health concerns around the world. According to the CDC, there is no immediate public...
March 3-Hour Tasters: Your Guide To A Weekend Of Making
Spring is the season of reinvention and reimagination—what better time to stretch your creative muscles and try something new! On March 28 and 29 we’re hosting 21 3-Hour Taster...
Field Trip Days Give Students A Window Into Industrial Arts
This past Thursday, 327 students from eight local scools descended on our studio for the first of four Field Trip Days we’re hosting this Spring. Every year we open our 56,000...
Centro Community Partners Light The Way For Entrepreneurs
This past Fall, we joined forces with Centro Community Partners to offer our first ever nine-week entrepreneurship program, designed to help artisans, craftspeople, and makers...
2020 Guide to Youth Camps: Take Our Quiz To Find Your Child’s Class
Parents rejoice–our 2020 Guide to Youth Camps is finally here! Browse and register for all upcoming Spring and Summer Youth Camp options....
Robert Graf Turns Passion For Neon Into Impact At The Crucible
Robert Graf was always passionate about technology and art. He dabbled in electronics at an early age and has long been interested in neon even before his first neon class six...
January’s Early Member Registration Is Here—Find Your Creative Calling!
It's finally here–our early member registration is live. Hundreds of classes running April–June just opened but the first two weeks of registration are open exclusively to Crucible...
Get Your Latest Digital Catalog! The Print Catalog Is No More
Printing a 52-page catalog uses a lot of trees. And trees are awesome! So instead of making our traditional catalog, we're moving in a new direction. What would have been our 2020...
Your Ultimate Guide To Valentine’s Day: Get Creative With Your Love At The Crucible
This year, ditch cliché Valentine's Day activities for an opportunity to get creative and learn something new! Making something with your own hands for someone you care about sends...
New Crucible Board Members Ready To Expand Mission In 2020
We are so thrilled to welcome four new members to The Crucible Board of Directors in 2020: Jana Pastena, Jeremy Sugerman, Taj Wilson, and Karyn Flynn. Expanding and diversifying...
20 Years of Art, Transformation, and Fire
It’s hard to believe 20 years have passed since establishing our first (and much smaller) studio in Berkeley. We kicked off 2019 with a renewed dedication to expanding class...
Five Steps For Digital Fabrication And Foundry
Using a 3D printer for fabrication has become increasingly popular and allows artists and makers to create complex and intricate shapes that would be difficult to create by hand....
Soldering Electronics For The First Time Is #Badass And So Is Jada Works
Jada Works dreams of starting her own company and selling the art she makes to a wider audience. That's badass. Even more badass is helping make it possible—support the next...
Forging Iron Is #Badass And So Is Celeste Flores
Celeste Flores fell in love with blacksmithing in art school, but it wasn’t until she came to The Crucible that she decided to become a full-time metalworker. “I’ve been rejected...
Find The Best Moments In The GIFTY 2019 Photo Recap
Thank you to everyone who braved the storms this weekend and made it out to GIFTY 2019! Staff, faculty, and volunteers came together to make our studio shine, and all the months of...
Everything You Need To Know Before GIFTY 2019 This Weekend
We’re gearing up for what is sure to be the biggest, brightest and best GIFTY yet! Are you ready for two days full of demos, hands-on family-friendly activities, and the best Bay...
This Thanksgiving, We’re Grateful For Volunteer Marc MacDonald
There are few Marc MacDonalds in the world. He was equal parts compassionate and ambitious, and endlessly giving. After a 30 year career in the Coast Guard, followed by a 13-year...
What Makes GIFTY Special? Vendor Latisha Baker Knows!
For most makers, November is high production time, and that is no different for Latisha Baker. This year, she’ll be returning for her third GIFTY craft show at The Crucible. About...
Your Guide To Gift-Making At The Crucible
The holidays come complete with cozy activities and quality time with loved ones. But sometimes, finding the perfect gift can be stressful. Thankfully, we know a way you can enjoy...
2020 Member Registration Guide: The Best And Brightest
Get your guide to 2020 member registration with our Volume 1 Catalog Awards, highlighting the best and brightest of our latest offerings....
You Will Be Slip Casting Ceramics With These 5 Easy Steps
Making perfectly identical ceramics by hand can be a challenge. But with a plaster mold, ceramicists can make endless duplicates of their work. Slip casting is often used for...
Our New Catalog Just Dropped—Get Your First Look
Keep an eye out for our 2020 Volume 1 Catalog due in your mailbox any day! Here is your advanced look at all of our classes running now through March, with additional listings for...
Jada’s First Summer At The Crucible
What did you do this summer? For most people, we’d guess plans didn’t include taking seven industrial arts classes. But for 13-year-old Jada, that’s exactly what her summer looked...
How A Crucible Education Made Pablo A Teacher
Pablo Cambron-Valdez has been interested in art and sculpture since childhood. He would often make figurines out of clay his mom brought home from work or attempt origami from...
Your Guide to Our Very First Family Day
Join us on November 23 for our first ever Family Day—a day of family-friendly ornament making just in time for the holidays! Parents and guardians with children ages 12 and up are...
The Very Best Of The 2019 Fall Open House Photos
We were thrilled to host nearly 1,600 visitors to our studio over the weekend for our 2019 Fall Open House. Industrial arts enthusiasts of all ages took to hands-on activities like...
Her Mission To Bring More People Of Color To The Crucible
Samantha Espinoza first visited The Crucible in 2017 when she brought her high school students for a field trip. As someone who’s made art most of her life, she knows first hand...
Get Excited! The 2019 Fall Open House Guide Is Here
Here's what not to miss at our 2019 Fall Open House! Join us on Saturday, September 7 from 12-5pm for a day full of free art, community, performances, demonstrations, and more!...
7 Tips That Will Make Your Team Build A Hit
Holding an offsite for your company is a fast and fun way to encourage creative problem solving, boost employee morale, improve communication, and promote collaboration. There are...
How 2019 Fuego Leaders Found Friendship At The Crucible
For the first time in the Fuego Youth Leadership Program’s 10-year history, we invited first and second year leaders to work together for four weeks of collaboration, culminating...
2018 Report: The Impact of Creative Community and Your Support
In our 2018 Youth Impact Report, you can see just how much you made possible—free field trips for youth, over $100,000 in youth scholarships, and much more!...
What New Class Should You Take? We Have The Answer!
Have you already flipped through our latest catalog and got excited about all our upcoming fall classes? Yesterday, early member registration for the 136 classes running...
Give A Warm Welcome To Our 2019 New Fuego Leaders
This year, in honor of Fuego’s tenth anniversary, we have expanded the program to be four weeks long, where both years work and learn together....
The Crucible and Adam Savage Forge The Best Excalibur
Last Thursday, Forging Excalibur premiered on Discovery Channel, where Adam Savage and Bladesmithing instructor Jeff Pringle forge King Arthur's sword Excalibur from a meteorite in...
Inspiration Awaits—Sneak A Peek Of The New Catalog
The Crucible’s 2019 Volume 3 catalog is hot off the presses and due to land in your mailbox in just a couple days. Here is your sneak peek at all of our classes running from...
Don’t Miss The Magic of 2019 Summer Camps: The Best Photos
Last week was the first week of The Crucible's Youth Summer Camps and we saw astronauts, noise machines, rainbow glass mushrooms, and more walk out of our studios at the end of...
One 11-Year-Old Is Made Complete In Clay Critters
Erick Dawkins first came to The Crucible on a fourth-grade field trip and has now taken four classes, finding accomplishment making with his hands....
After These Photos, You Will Be At The Next Iron Pour
On Friday night, our Foundry Department came together for The Crucible’s 20th Anniversary Iron Pour, casting over 1000 pounds of molten iron into a variety of ceramic shell and...
Your Most Creative Vacation, Down To The Minute
Take the week off this summer and immerse yourself in a creative practice for one week! Take the creative vacation of your dreams, and spend a week at The Crucible, exploring new...
How She Built a Sanctuary for Ceramics at The Crucible
For the past twenty years, Rosa Dorantes has been dedicated to sharing her knowledge of ceramics. An Oakland-native who found The Crucible just over one year ago, Rosa has...
Your Guide To The Best Summer Ever: Youth Edition
Youth summer camp registration is open, and we chose our top camp picks so you can plan the best summer ever!...
3 Oakland Siblings Have The Best Spring Break Ever For Free
Meet Kasa Du, Ku Rah, and Hla Dah! Originally from Burma, these three siblings moved to Oakland eight years ago, and participated in The Crucible's youth camps completely free....
How Ready Are You For The Crucible’s Spring Open House?
Join us on Saturday, March 30 from 12-5pm for a free day of art, community, performances, demonstrations, and more at our Crucible Open House!...
How To Cast Jewelry In 7 Steps
The possibilities of what you can create with wax, fire, and molten metal are endless. Casting jewelry and sculptures from wax makes it easy to capture fine details in your piece,...
Free Art Camps For Oakland Youth This Spring
During Spring Break, The Crucible is running six different three-day classes completely free, specifically for Oakland youth, ages 12-15, who are interested in the fine and...
David Page Puts It All On The Table
Woodworking instructor David Page notoriously breaks hearts by turning down commissions, reserving custom work strictly for friends and family. Lucky for us, David is family! Read...
Art Is On Fire In A New Series At The Crucible
We are open sourcing our knowledge of fire arts with a six-part series of fire performance, safety, and effects that will run throughout 2019 and beyond. In the Fire Series, you...
Top Class Picks: Your Guide To 20+ New Classes and More
Class registration is now open! We added over twenty brand new courses to our shop to celebrate our 20th Anniversary, in addition to some of our rare, favorite classes....
For 11 Years, She Has Welcomed In The Neighborhood
An Oakland native, living just blocks from The Crucible, Ledora Hightower has directly facilitated scholarships for our neighborhood youth, adults, local seniors, and more....
Thank You For an Amazing 2018!
As we go into our 20th year, we want to look back at 2018–a record breaking year on many accounts–and give thanks for the incredible support we have been given from donors like you...
GIFTY 2018: Here Are Our Favorite Photos
We hope you had as much fun at GIFTY as we did! With 69 local vendors, prizes, hot drinks, delicious food, fiery demos, record-breaking attendance, and more, this was a weekend to...
Vendor Spotlight: What Do Octopi and Pottery Have to Do With GIFTY?
Meet Maia Danks, the artist behind Octopus Ceramics. After growing up taking classes at The Crucible, Maia became the youngest artist to ever vend at GIFTY. We sat down with Maia...
How One Devoted Volunteer Gives Back to Donors
Every year, volunteers in our Foundry Department donate their time to make the donor plaques. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, we met up with Irina to see how she makes the...
How Well Do You Really Know The Crucible?
Do you know why the Oakland Fire Department raided The Crucible in 2010? Or, which politician broke a flaming bottle of champagne over an anvil at The Crucible? Take this quiz to...