Things to Do in San Pablo

The third annual Ceramics Annual of America expo takes over Festival Hall in San Francisco, bringing with it thousands of visitors and a diverse array of ceramics. Dozens of featured artists—who hail from California as well as from farther-flung locales such as Mexico and Italy—offer professional insight via artist-panel discussions and display their wares at personal kiosks. These works range from decorative statues and figures to functional pottery, conceptual art, and recreations of King Tut’s favorite dish set.

Master goldsmith Alan Revere founded The Revere Academy in 1979, creating a space where gifted metalsmiths could pass on their skills to burgeoning jewelry-makers. Today, more than a dozen expert instructors form the faculty, introducing hobbyists and hopeful professionals alike to the fundamentals. The facilities include magnified video feeds that broadcast larger-than-life demonstrations of the teacher performing small and delicate processes, a feat that once required each student to bring their own periscope to class. In the tool room, students will find a blasting unit, magnetic polisher, and other essentials needed to bring their bejeweled creations to shimmering fruition.