Brushstrokes Studio

It's a Zoo down here!

2012-02-19T12:17:00.001-08:00

Elephant Travel Mug by Gustabo R.

It's critter week at Brushstrokes- and animals have been turning up in the most unexpected places...

Where do cows like to go on dates? To the mooooo-vies. Or Brushstrokes!

Art by Raymond W.

Peacock Peasant Bowl by Tammie C.

Ms Ana's fourth graders are studying bees at Peralta Elementary.

We've even started preparing for our new summer camps. Arty Einstein campers will take a look at some of the world's smallest creatures-- phytoplankton!

Phytoplankton by Jessica Williams

Glass-tastic!

2012-02-18T14:32:00.002-08:00

Glass fusing has arrived!

Just a few weeks into a new venture and our minds are spinning with possibilities!

Glass is more versatile than we imagined. We've seen gorgeous necklaces, dazzling suncatchers and elegant slumped bowls (just to name a few of the fabulous projects our busy community has created).

It's hard to think of something that this glass can't do. Although I still haven't figure out how to make that glass slipper... maybe in a couple weeks Prince Charming.

Slumping a project gives flat fusing three dimensions

Bedazzle your windows

Ten-year-old Kate certainly has a knack for glass!

Got any ideas for glass fusing? Let us know! Comment, or come by the studio!

Painting pottery together on Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

It was such a sweet day down at Brushstrokes yesterday...with some lovely couples coming to spend quality time together (while singing along to oldies on Pandora). Thanks for sharing your day with us!

Announcing our latest offering: Glass Fusing at Brushstrokes

2012-01-24T22:39:00.001-08:00

Join us for an open house this Sunday from 10-2 when we will introduce a new way to make something beautiful at Brushstrokes. Glass fusing is easy and fun -- for artists of all ages.

It's Auction Season

2012-01-24T22:36:00.001-08:00

Wow, these auction platters look beautiful. Good work to the ladies at Beth El for pulling together some amazing class projects. I heard they fetched a pretty penny!

Mother's Day Oasis

2011-04-17T05:49:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 8th from noon - 5 pm
Our upstairs studio is reserved for moms only! You are invited for a day of painting pottery, relaxing music, tea and cookies and healthy treats. Invite a friend but NO KIDS please! FREE STUDIO TIME as our gift to you...
Our downstairs studio will be available for walk-ins and children are always welcome!

Life giving you lemons?

2011-04-17T05:39:00.000-07:00

We're going to start up our Dish Dine Paint Wine Series again in spring/summer. This lemon bowl will be our first project and it's easy when you follow our step by step instructions and templates. Bring some wine and snacks to share, if you'd like to. Bring a friend or make new friends here!
When: Thursday, May 19th from 6:30-9 pm
Cost: $35

"Dish Dine Paint & Wine"

2010-09-28T23:20:00.001-07:00

Join us for our new series called "Dish, Dine, Paint & Wine." We'll get together once a month for a simple step-by-step class that will include some really fun, easy techniques. This Autumn Leaf plate includes lace on the outside and some specialty glazes we don't normally carry in the studio. Our first event is this Friday, October 1st and we'll let you know how it goes! If you're able to join us for the November project shown above, the date is Friday, November 5th from 7-9 pm. Feel free to bring wine and food -- this project is stress-free and allows plenty of time to socialize and relax.

A functional, beautiful wedding keepsake

2010-05-03T11:18:00.001-07:00

Take and bake wedding platters are here just in time for wedding season. We'll make a beautiful platter for you with the bride and groom's names and wedding date. You choose the font and the design. Then buy our porcelain pen to have the guests sign the platter. Take it home and bake it at 350 degrees for an hour and it's DONE.

Father's Day is Sunday, June 20th

2010-05-03T10:59:00.001-07:00

If Dad's a BBQ man, he'll love a hand-painted BBQ platter for Father's Day this year.

...and if he likes a healthy breakfast, how about a personalized grapefruit bowl?

Silent Auction benefit on Mother's Day

2010-05-03T10:57:00.001-07:00

In addition to being a great idea for something to do on Mother's Day, we're raising money for a good cause. Come paint pottery, drink tea and eat cupcakes and help raise money for Embrace. We'll auction this Madhatter Tea Party Tea Set by Alex Padilla as well as work by renown local ceramic artists Rae Dunn, Christa Assad and Josie Jurczenia of Fourth & Clay.

Mommy & Me Tea Party Benefit

2010-04-07T12:08:00.001-07:00

Create an unforgettable memory and paint a tea set with your child on Mother's Day (Sunday, May 9th from 11 am - 6 pm). Complimentary cupcakes and tea will be served -- come join us! Download the invitation here and feel free to forward it to your friends: Tea Party Invitation.

20% of all proceeds from this event and 100% of the proceeds from our silent auction held that day will go to Embrace. Embrace is a nonprofit that aims to help millions of vulnerable babies through a low cost infant incubator. www.embraceglobal.org.

All about Mom

2010-04-07T10:55:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is coming soon. Here are some design ideas for beautiful keepsakes to show Mothers (and Grandmothers) how much you love them...

Cover an 8x11 page with the words mom/mother/ma in different fonts and different sizes. Print your page and we have carbon paper for you to transfer your text on to the frames. Use whatever color combinations your mom would like best, or stick to pinks and reds as in our sample. The white background frame has a heart-shaped "bisquie" fused to it. We also have other "bisquie" shapes that can be fused on to picture frames or plates including letters, flowers, people, seashells and more!

New for Mother's Day: this "diner mug" is the perfect gift...especially if it's delivered with coffee in bed!

Check us out in the new movie "Babies"

2010-04-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Focus Features is releasing a new film about Babies! Trailer

Hattie, the USA baby, is a customer at Brushstrokes (Brushstrokes: Moms & Babies) and there is a scene in the film where a mug with Hattie's footprints on it is being presented as a gift. We're excited about seeing the movie at a special benefit screening on April 14th. Invite

The premiere is a benefit for Embrace, a global non-profit organization that has created a low-cost infant warmer for the developing world. 20,000,000 low-birth-weight and premature babies are born each year. 450 of them die. This is a preventable tragedy.

Note: we will be hosting our own benefit for Embrace on Mother's Day: A Mommy & Me Tea Party! Stay tuned for more details.

A good time was had by all at our Bring in the Spring Party

2010-03-19T13:38:00.000-07:00

Don't forget our party this Saturday with FREE studio time all day (11 am - 6 pm)

11 am: Studio opens. First come, first serve.
12pm - 2 pm: FREE LUNCH. BBQ hot dogs and tofu dogs.
2:30 - 5 pm: Live music by the band "Quake City Jug Band"

THIS JUST IN! Daniel Del Grande of Berkeley's Bison Brewery
will be bringing some special beers for those 21 and older.

Best Auction Item

2010-03-15T21:10:00.001-07:00

Created by Grace Hawthorne, design guru and one of the duo who founded ReadyMade magazine.

Each child in the kindergarten drew a self-portrait and wrote their name. Then Grace used carbon paper to transfer their drawings on to a set of 10 dinner plates, 10 salad plates, 10 bowls, 10 cups and one platter. Over the course of a couple of weeks of evenings at home, she used a liner brush and black paint and traced all their drawings onto the pottery.

What a great way to turn kid's art into a really sophisticated set of china. She will auction the project as whole. Stay tuned for the winning bid price! I'll add it to this posting.

Hoppin' ideas for Easter

2010-02-25T15:28:00.000-08:00

Using the Coupe Oval Platter, tape off each section of the "easter egg" and use stickers for the heart and circles. Paint over taped sections. Once paint is dry peel tape and stickers off.

Print out the Easter Bunny with Egg template and, using carbon paper, trace design onto Angeled Rim Dinner Plate. Use the black squeeze bottle to create the outline. Fill in color as desired using a #4 or #6 round brush.

We carry a similar egg platter. Here are two very different design ideas to choose from.

Make a St. Patrick's Day Keepsake of Your Lucky Little One

2010-02-25T14:59:00.000-08:00

St. Patrick's Day is Wednesday, March 17th.
To make this keepsake plate, select the 11" rim dinner plate. We'll help you print your child's hand using "Lime Ricky" paint. Sponge "Lime Ricky" and then "Green Acres" on to the rim. Draw a shamrock with a regular #2 pencil (it will burn off in the firing) and then trace it with the "Green Acres" squeeze bottle. Using the black squeeze bottle, write your child's name and "I'm so lucky you're mine!" on the rim.

Bring in the Spring: The New and Improved Brushstrokes Studio!

2010-02-25T12:27:00.000-08:00

We've cleaned and reorganized our studio! The new layout is more spacious and our new shelves display more pottery. To celebrate our revamped look, we are having a "Bring in the Spring" party on the first day of Spring, Saturday, March 20th. We'll have food, music and free studio time all day (11am-6pm)!