Great Escape: Play With Fire at The Crucible, Go Home Happy

Brainstorming an escape to highlight around the Bay Area, I stopped to think. What's my great escape? What's a place that takes me away from the laundry, and the cleaning, and the bills? The Crucible industrial arts school in Oakland.

The non-profit school offers classes in industrial and fine arts. Along with staples like blacksmithing, woodwork, ceramics and foundry are classes in more unexpected subjects: copyright law, neon, fire eating.

Though many associate The Crucible and the West Oakland artist community it inhabits with the Burning Man crowd, there's really no such thing as a typical Crucible student. For every dreadlocked visitor, there is another swapping the suit jacket and Bluetooth for a suede welding coat and helmet. 

One glasswork student told me that the three evening hours she spends in class is her only time to herself during the week. With two kids and a full time job, it wasn't hard to believe. But classes here don't have to be an escape from family.

In my Intro to Jewelry class, a father and his teenage daughter bantered about whose ring was turning out better. With his prior metalsmithing experience it wasn't much of a contest, but both always walked away laughing.

The Crucible also has an extensive youth program for kids over 8 years old, and many classes and camps encourage collaboration between parents and children with projects designed for creating together.

Registration for the spring semester is open now. Check out the schedule and try something new. Get a head start on that hobby you've been meaning to pick up, and share a new experience with your family.

Full disclosure: The writer happily volunteers with The Crucible on a weekly basis.