Steve Tobin DOCUMENTATION 1957 1973 CHRONOLOGY Born Steven Robert Tobin on 10 February Begins studying physics, transferring in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Shares fascination with natural world to theoreti- February 10 birthdate of his mother, cal world. Physics, art, and music become Frances Emanuel. interweaving passions. 1964 1975 Family moves to heavily wooded property Is selected in citywide search for applicants with abundance of wildlife in Villanova, for post of research assistant to the physi- Pennsylvania. Interest in nature is sparked cist Dr. Campbell Laird, a Nobel Prize- and Tobin is cited for first honors in winner, who is conducting six-month “Nature” at Penn View summer camp. experiment on structure of matter at University of Pennsylvania. Experiment involves growing crystals in metal, polish- 1967 ing them, and studying formations under electron microscope. Father builds tree house in large oak trees on property. There Tobin feels more at home with leaves, branches, sky, animals, 1976 elements than he does indoors. Below trees is a fire over which he cooks. Later work Attends Tulane University because school springs from this tree house of his youth, has electron microscope available to with fire and nature as early influences undergraduate students; also has strong and providing endless inspiration. music department. In first year in college continues to study music, physics, and mathematics and takes ceramics course. 1970 Takes mathematics in summer school. Encounters glassblowing as physics experiment at Haverford School, leading 1977 to his buying torches to make decorative objects, such as glass trees. Takes train into Interest in ceramics increases; begins Philadelphia to buy glass tubing and sells exhibiting work in statewide competitions. glass objects on streets of New York City. Plays in campus jazz bands. Interest Loves using fire and transforming glass evolves from physics to theoretical mathe- through fire; early marriage of science and matics. Travels alone to Central America, art. Attends eight-week survival camp in learns to speak Spanish, and visits many Canada and learns to live off land. pottery factories and studios. 1971 1978 Begins serious study of saxophone with Gene Koss, ceramics professor at Tulane world-renowned, classical saxophonist, University, builds glass studio with Tobin’s Arthur Hegvik, whose high level of com- assistance. Tobin plays music profession- mitment strikes chord that would resonate ally in clubs around New Orleans, with for years. Learns that hard work lays foun- James Booker and others. Develops his dation for expression of inspiration. own glass-blowing techniques and work is chosen for traveling museum shows. Assists Peter Voulkos at ceramics work- 1972 shop at Tulane. Meets Christo at a work- shop and is impressed by his scale Follows eldest sister, Lynne, into art depart- fabrication process and collaboration ment at Harriton High School, Rosemont, with environment. Pennsylvania, where is introduced to pot- ter’s wheel; has natural facility with clay. Lifelong obsession with the material and its processes begins. His teacher, William Latina, stresses highest level of craftsman- ship, influencing Tobin’s work thereafter. 1 4 2 3 5 6 1 Steve Tobin installing Roots at the American Museum of Natural History, 2000. 2 Casting an Earth Bronze, 1997. 3 Tobin building Teepee, 1990. 4 Pouring bronze into a glass torso mold, 1991. 5 Removing the molds from a termite mound in Ghana, 1997. 6 The villagers of Nswam in Ghana working on a Termite Mound, 1997. 7 Tobin blowing glass, 1989. 8 Tobin and his installation team in the Retretti Caves, 1993. 9 Tobin in his studio, 1988. 7 9 8 1979 1989 Graduates with bachelor’s degree in theo- Becomes first foreigner invited to build retical mathematics. Moves to North own studio in Murano, Italy. Travels Carolina, builds glass studio, and begins between studios in Italy and United States. showing work at Heller Gallery in New Learns to speak Venetian dialect. York. Attends Pilchuck Glass School, Washington State, and Penland School of Crafts, North Carolina. 1990 Begins cast-glass series titled Doors; unprecedented process of casting bronze 1980 and glass together in same mold. Moves to Check, Virginia, and builds sec- ond glass studio. Has first solo exhibition in New York at Spring Street Enamels 1993 Gallery. Has first retrospective with Marc Chagall at Retretti Art Centre in Finland. Installs Water Columnat American Craft Museum 1982 (now Museum of Arts and Design) in New Leaves studio in Virginia and becomes York. As last blown-glass piece before offi- a vagabond glass blower. Returns to cially retiring from glass making, blows Penland and Pilchuck as a teaching assis- world’s largest bottle—later included in tant. Teaches at the New York Experimental Guinness Book of World Records(1995)— Glass Workshop and at Colorado Moun- to raise money for the artist’s fellowship tain College. program at Creative Glass Center of America, Millville, New Jersey. Begins work in metal sculpture. Philip 1983–1984 Berman, chairman of Philadelphia Receives seven-month fellowship at Museum of Art, arrives unannounced at Wheaton Village, Millville, New Jersey. Tobin’s studio and invites him to join a Here foundation for many concepts for Triangle Artists’ Workshop, working in future glasswork is formulated. Makes steel, granite, and marble with interna- first outdoor installation (Waterglass), tional group of metal and stone sculptors a Glass River in Millville. Is invited to in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Berman blow glass at the Seguso Vetri d’Artes becomes mentor. in Murano, Italy. 1994 1985–1986 Builds bronze foundry and begins to cast Is invited to teach glass sculpture at bronze. Tokyo Glass Art Institute, learns to speak Japanese, and has numerous successful exhibitions throughout Japan. 1995 Publishes catalogue, Steve Tobin: Recon- structions, with exhibition at Philip and 1987 Muriel Berman Museum of Art, College- Returns to United States from Japan, pur- ville, Pennsylvania, documenting two chases residence and studio in Pleasant years’ work in metal. Makes the thirty- Valley, Pennsylvania. Builds hotshop and foot-long Bone Wall. develops studio. 1996 1988 Begins Earth Bronzes series with Forest Exhibits first large-scale (five to fifteen Floor bronzes, casting the earth in bronze. feet high) blown-glass sculptures, titled Cocoons, at Moore College of Art and Design, Philadelphia. 1997 2001 Mortgages home and studio to finance trip Begins Lantern Houseseries using glass to Ghana, West Africa, to make bronze lantern slides from 1800s. Revisits Murano castings of termite hills. Revives acquain- and Venice with installation of Lantern tance with Peter Voulkos who advises Houseat Marco Polo Gallery. Dismantles Tobin to return to clay as a medium. Earth Bronzes show at American Museum of Natural History one day before attack on World Trade Center. 1998 Exhibits Earth Bronzes at Fuller Museum 2002 of Art, Brockton, Massachusetts. Show moves to New York and exhibited simulta- Lantern Houseexhibited at George Eastman neously at OK Harris and artetindustrie House in Rochester, New York. Major year- Gallery. Phil Berman dies. Retains long exhibition of Earth Bronzes, titled Kathleen Rogers as manager. Tobin’s Naked Earth,installed on grounds of Page Museum, La Brea Tar Pits, Hancock Park, Los Angeles, with ancillary exhibit 1999 at Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, underwritten by Wolfgang Puck Installs year-long exhibition of Earth and Barbara Lazaroff. Exhibition of Earth Bronzesat American Museum of Natural Bronzes at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, History in New York, with ancillary Pennsylvania. exhibition at Montefiore Park in West Harlem. Exhibition featured in Newsweek magazine. Roots sculpture is centerpiece of Vancouver International Sculpture Project in Vancouver, British Columbia, and later, in Kirkland, Washington. 1979 1992 Sculptured Glass,Bienville Gallery, New Steve Tobin, Transformations: Three SELECTED SOLO Orleans, Louisiana Installations in Glass, Lehigh University, Wilson and Hall Gallery, Bethlehem, EXHIBITIONS AND Pennsylvania, 4 September–22 October, INSTALLATIONS 1980 catalogue Glass Portraits, Hanson Gallery, New Habatat Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida Orleans, Louisiana Glasscapes, Spring Street Enamels Gallery, 1993 New York Steve Tobin at Retretti,Retretti Art Centre, Punkaharju, Finland, 5 May–8 August, 1982 catalogue Glass Sculpture,Gallery 10, New York, 11–31 December 1994 Sanske Galerie, Zurich, Switzerland 1985 Habatat Gallery, Boca Raton, Florida David Bernstein Gallery, Boston, Massachusetts, 18 September–9 October 1995 Manhattan Bowls, Snyderman Gallery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Steve Tobin: Reconstructions,Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, 19 1986 September–22 November, catalogue Wheaton Ware, LaVaggi Gallery, New York Steve Tobin: Reconstructions,Peyton Wright Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Glasscapes, Glass Gallery, New York 6 October–14 November Bentley Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona 1987 Dream Glass, Axis Gallery, Tokyo, Japan, 1996 30 May–8 June Matzoh House,Gallery B.A.I., New York, Glass for Tea Ceremony,Tazawa Gallery, 26 November–21 December Kyoto, Japan 1997 1988 Broadway River, New York University, Steve Tobin: The Glass Garden,Moore Broadway Windows, New York College of Art and Design, Levy Gallery for the Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 4 November–9 December, catalogue 1998 Earth Bronzes, Fuller Museum of Art, 1989 Brockton, Massachusetts,