Toan Klein

“I grew up on the east coast, about three miles from the ocean. That vast and ever-changing water is now part of my soul.   I can close my eyes at anytime and imagine the salt air smell.  Lake Ontario is what remains of an ancient sea.  My family and I often visit parks around Toronto where the fossilized remains of bygone sea creatures are easily found.  Our scientific brethren taught us that we come from the sea and I feel forever and inescapably included.  Working with the constant roar of the furnace reminds me of the sound of the shore and keeps me connected to those roots. Dipping my pipe in a crucible of 2000° F liquid glass puts me in touch with forces of nature.  For an inner-city dweller, this is a powerful, humbling and cherished experience to regularly behold.  Like the ocean, liquid glass does not stand still.  Currents are always present and learning how it heats and cools is imperative to understanding it.

“When I blow glass I feel connected to the parade of time of both my metiér and homos erectus.  It is my hope that the people I create this work for, those who actually live with it in their homes, will understand and appreciate my message in these bottles.”

Selected permanent collections:

Canadian Craft Council, Ottawa
Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, N.Y.
Cooper-Hewitt Museum (Smithsonian Institute), New York, N.Y.
Indusmin Collection, Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo, Ontario
Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto
Musée des Arts Decoratifs de Montréal
Musée des Beaux Arts, Montréal, Quebec
Musée des Maîtres et Artisans du Québec, Montréal
Musée du Verre, Liege, Belgium
Museum of Civilization, Ottawa
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario