Roi Toia: Transitions

The summer of June 2005, Washington State, USA, was the launch of a new experience and new creative direction for me. I was honoured to become the recipient of two ‘artist-in-residence’ scholarships at the reputed Pilchuck School of Glass and the Tacoma Museum of Glass. Such renowned First Nations artists as Susan Point, Joe David and Preston Singletary have all graced the hallowed ground of the ‘Pilchuck experience’.

At Pilchuck I was privileged enough to enter into a world and observe noted and skilled artists attending to their chosen fields in the manipulation and creation of glass art. In this isolated arts retreat, in a forested wilderness, the raw energy of the glass blowing furnaces pulsate with the timeless rhythm of the land. I was awestruck as I walked into this unworldly environment. I could only liken this experience to a face-to-face encounter with the raw ferocity of the earth’s core and so I became immersed in the dynamic power of glass.

As the days passed I began to comprehend the vastness and diversity of glass, at the same time feeling bewildered by its endless possibilities. This ignited my creative juices, as the confrontation of a new challenge excited my ability to transcend mediums. I had to alter my original thought process to translate 25 years of experience in traditional carving to accommodate the organic and tempermental medium of glass. Finally, the interaction of two foreign materials surprisingly evolved into a collaboration of ‘concept’ and ‘sculptural form’.

• Excerpts are from Kahui Whetu: Contemporary Maori Art, A Carver’s Perspective by Roi Toia and Todd Couper.
• Glasswork executed by The Tacoma Museum Glass Team and Joe Benvenuto.