• to educate the public about glass art and local glass artists
• to support glass artists and student

BAGI educates the public by hosting a series of art exhibits, teaching classes, and inviting the public in to an operational glass studio. All of these activities are designed to generate excitement about glass art, provide an opportunity to describe glass-forming techniques and answer questions, and to let the public meet glass artists.

BAGI assists young artists by providing studio rental time, giving young artists a place to practice. In the future, BAGI also plans to offer scholarships to local universities and schools that specialize in glass. BAGI also plans to help young artists by providing assistance in showing their work, both by recommending galleries and by inviting them to participate in BAGI's own exhibitions.

Mariko Takada, gaffer, is a graduate of Musashino Art University, Tokyo, Japan, and San Jose University, San Jose, California. Mariko has also contributed at the Haystack School of Craft, Maine and at the Pilchuk Glass School, Stanwood, Washington.

Anthony Alfaro, assistant, is a San Francisco Bay Area craftsman, specializing in hot glass, traditional blacksmithing, and custom furniture crafting.

The Crucible

The Crucible is a non-profit educational facility that fosters a collaboration of Arts, Industry and Community. Through training in the fine and industrial arts, The Crucible promotes creative expression, reuse of materials, and innovative design while serving as an accessible arts venue for the general public.

Mariko Tokada's excellence permeates all my works now due to her studied approach