Where can you find students of all disciplines working alongside each other to create works of art? The Cal Poly Craft Center!
If you haven’t had the pleasure of exploring the Craft Center, you should check it out. Any time of the day, you’ll see students shaping ceramic bowls or wood-burning intricate designs onto self-made skateboards, while an instructor creates a red-hot glass pendant at the torches in the back of the room. The Craft Center is a place to learn and create in a welcoming and fun environment.
The Cal Poly Craft Center has a long list of classes available to students. This quarter, you can take ceramics, flameworking, jewelry casting/smithing and stained glass, as well as a relatively new knitting class.
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be the artsy type, the Craft Center is guaranteed to have something that interests you. Love sports? Create your own surfboard, skateboard, bat or bean-bag toss! Or you could learn the ins and outs of bike maintenance.
Craft center classes typically meet once a week for two hours. You pay to register, and it’s worth the cost — enrollment gives you access to the Craft Center and equipment any time outside of class. If you want to get involved, but don’t want to commit to a class, the Craft Center also sells day and quarter passes for experienced artists.
I’m clearly passionate about the Craft Center, and for good reason. I took a flameworking class last year and I absolutely loved it! There’s definitely a learning curve — not one of the marbles I created would actually roll. But my more successful projects became birthday gifts for others and jewelry for myself. I get compliments whenever I wear my crowning achievement, an orange and gold necklace pendant of my own design. It’s a great feeling. Eventually when my schedule allows, I want to take another crafting class, maybe intermediate flameworking or jewelry smithing.
Computer science junior Garrett Summers teaches a beginning flameworking class at the Craft Center. He loved the flameworking class he took freshman year, so he pursued a job at the Craft Center.
“What I like about the flameworking class at Cal Poly is that it is exciting right off of the bat,” Summers said. “This can be said for any class in the Craft Center, really. On the first day, you are already sitting in front of an extremely hot fire and mixing molten glass together.”
But the Craft Center isn’t just good for the classes.
“There is just an overall positive mood and a drive to create new things,” Garrett said.
Ultimately, the Craft Center is whatever you make of it. Whether you’re into art, learning a new skill, or just relaxing between classes, I highly recommend taking a class. If not for the Cal Poly Craft Center, I never would have had the opportunity to explore my interest in glass art. If you’re looking to take a class this quarter, it’s not too late! Next week, registration ends and classes start, so sign up or waitlist today!
For more info, visit the Craft Center on the ground floor of the UU or visit their website.