Best Places For Glass Art In The East Bay
Stained Glass Garden
1800 4th St
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 841-2200
www.stainedglassgarden.com
Interested in the beauty of stained glass? This gallery and studio space offers introductory and stained-glass workshops throughout the year. You can also learn how to cast and fuse glass, make dichroic jewelry and flameworked beads and work with kilns. The studio and kilns are available to rent and private classes for your family or group are also available. Stained Glass Garden also exhibits and sells the work of local glass artists, sells glass cut to size for your project, repairs stained-glass pieces and accepts custom-design projects.
Revere Glass School
1345 8th St
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 233-3473
www.revereglass.com
The artists at Revere Glass School in Berkeley specialize in lampworking, a way of working glass that uses a gas-fueled torch rather than a furnace. Also known as flameworking, this process can be used to create glass objects as disparate as beads, paperweights, ornaments and scientific instruments. The famous Murano glass of Italy is made with lampworking. Revere Glass offers classes in lampwork, glassblowing and making beads and pipes, as well as a series of workshops with visiting glass artists like Robert Mickelson.
The Crucible
1260 7th St
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 444-0919
www.thecrucible.org
The Crucible is a glass-blowing group with a difference. These group members focus on the "collaboration of arts, industry and community" with industrial art classes, workshops, artist studios and unique events. They offer many classes including welding, casting, neon-sign design, cold-glass design, kilns and flameworking, enameling and metal jewelry design, blacksmithing and ceramics. Some of their courses are available for corporate team-building events and others are focused on teen learners, including after-school classes and summer camps. Their jaw-dropping Fire Arts festival, currently on hiatus, featured open-air fire art, fire sculpture and interactive arts, as did the fire opera Machine which premiered in January 2012.
Related: Best Art Galleries On The Peninsula
Pot-Pourri
4100 Redwood Road
Oakland, CA 94619
(510) 531-1503
www.pot-pourri.com
Pot-Pourri, a gallery since 1968, began as an outlet for potters and ceramicists. Now the gallery features works from artists in ceramics, blown glass, flamework and mosaics, to name just a few, as well as artisan gift items. Each year, Pot-Pourri opens its doors for a Mother's Day sale and a pre-Christmas sale. If you are looking for a unique item for yourself or a loved one, Pot-Pourri is a great place to visit.
Institute of Mosaic Art
3001 Chapman St
Oakland CA 94601
(510) 437-9899
www.instituteofmosaicart.com
Want to learn how to make mosaics? This specialty art school focuses on mosaic art made from a variety of materials including glass and ceramic tile. Classes are available for all levels including a variety of beginners' projects to choose from. Projects include outdoor mosaics and stepping stones, mosaic lamps and a series of visiting artist workshops and summer intensive courses. For example, on August 10-12, the Institute will be hosting mosaic artist Carol Shelkin who will be teaching a class on portraiture in mosaics. The Institute also includes a store selling all the materials and tools needed for making mosaics, as well as a gallery featuring the works of mosaic artists.
Related: Best Impressionist Art In San Francisco
