About Petroglyph
The original paint-your-own pottery studio
Our Story
Petroglyph was an early pioneer of the do-it-yourself movement and has been featured in Forbes and Sunset magazines as well as the San Jose Business Journal and the Santa Cruz Sentinel. The first Petroglyph opened in 1993 in Santa Cruz, CA followed by studios in Los Gatos, Roseville, and Willow Glen.
In 2012 we opened our first candle-making studio, Glow Candle Lounge in Willow Glen, with a second location opening in Santa Cruz this Fall.
All of our studio lounges are comfortable and inspiring spaces where people can spend time with friends, create interesting and useful objects, and express themselves; a “bar” of sorts where people get together after work, or go with kids, and enjoy creative, expressive time.
After 24 years, Petroglyph is proud to remain one of the largest and most successful privately-owned and operated businesses in the industry.
A petroglyph is a prehistoric drawing or carving on rock. The dictionary definition is “writing on stone” often described as “rock art.” The Stone Age was a magical time in history when people lived in small communities in harmony with the Earth. This was the origin of pictures, art, and words being used for communication.
More importantly: a petroglyph is a personal statement, a form of individual expression, storytelling and creativity. It seemed a perfect and fitting name.
So leave your mark on the place where you live and personalize your presence.
Meet the Founder
Jennifer Rubin
Originally from the East Coast, Jennifer moved to Southern California after college. In L.A. she worked in the film industry in production for Paramount and Disney studios. It was there that the original concept for Petroglyph was born. That inspiration, coupled with the desire to start a family, prompted a move to Santa Cruz.
With the firm belief that all of us should have creativity and bold expression in our lives, Jennifer founded the first Petroglyph studio in Santa Cruz, CA in 1993. Her vision was to build a stylized space for adults and children to ideate, socialize, and paint original ceramic pieces. With her former partner, Michael Rubin, she soon opened additional stores in Los Gatos, San Jose, and Roseville.
Most recently, Jennifer led the expansion of the original concept to explore candle making and launched the highly-successful Glow Candle Lounge in December 2012 adjacent to Petroglyph in Willow Glen. Jennifer’s philosophy behind the expansion into candle-making is her resounding conviction that socializing around a creative endeavor is a wonderful shared and meaningful time. A second Glow Candle Lounge opened on Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz during the holidays in December 2016.
Open Positions
There are no available positions at this time.
Please check back later!
General Pricing
Our pricing is straight-forward. We have a single Studio Day Pass that covers all of your supplies, kiln firing, and support by our trained staff. Beyond that, each ceramic piece has its own price – ranging from $5 to over $50.
| Children (12 and under) | $12 |
| Adults (age 13+) | $14 |
The Studio Day Pass may also be used at any of our locations, including Glow Candle Lounge the day of purchase.
Contact Us
Business Office
831-458-1117
125 Walnut Avenue
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Store Locations
See our locations page for studio hours and contact information.
The Petroglyph Experience
What’s it like to make your own art? We’ll walk you through the steps of expressing yourself through making custom, one-of-a-kind ceramics.