Bird Lovers' Weekend

Finland’s Oiva Toikka returns to the Museum of Glass for the Fourth Annual Bird Lovers’ Weekend dedicated to Iittala’s Birds by Toikka. This three-day event features the U.S. debut of Toikka’s 2007 limited edition Red-winged Blackbird, created specifically for the Museum of Glass. This bird, along with Iittala’s 2007 signature bird, Pale Male, will be introduced in the Museum Store beginning October 12.

In the Hot Shop, Toikka will be joined by Iittala’s master glassblower, Arto Lahtinen, and the Museum’s Hot Shop team to create a number of favorite bird species including owls, roosters and bluebirds. Scroll down to see a complete list of bird lover activities scheduled throughout the weekend or visit our web calendar for all the details.

Professor Oiva Toikka is known internationally for Birds by Toikka, a collection of over one hundred glass bird species designed exclusively for Iittala, Inc. over a 30-year period. Birds by Toikka are collected worldwide, and each one is individually sculpted from molten glass. His work can be seen at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Corning Museum of Glass in New York, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in Japan and in many museums in the Scandinavian countries. This visit marks his second Hot Shop residency at the Museum of Glass.

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FOURTH ANNUAL IITTALA BIRD LOVERS’ WEEKEND
October 12 – 14, 2007
All events are scheduled 10 am – 5 pm Friday and Saturday and 12 – 5 pm Sunday unless otherwise noted

Red-winged Blackbird Hatches
Red-winged Blackbird, designed by Oiva Toikka and created as a limited edition, will be offered for the first time, exclusively through the Museum Store.

FREE reception in the Museum Store
5 – 7:30 pm Friday
Join us as we welcome Professor Toikka back to Tacoma and introduce Red-winged Blackbird. Professor Toikka will personally sign/engrave birds purchased during the event.

Birds by Toikka glassblowing demonstrations in the Hot Shop
Visiting Artist Oiva Toikka, master glassblower Arto Lahtinen, and the Museum’s Hot Shop team will demonstrate how they hand sculpt several different bird designs, including owls, roosters and bluebirds.

Hands-On Art Activity: Amazing Avians
10 am – 3 pm Friday; 11 am – 5 pm Saturday; 12 – 5 pm Sunday
Bend and twist wire into a fantastical bird sculpture, create a bird stamp or hatch your own bird from clay

Live bird of prey visits from Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium
1 – 2 pm Friday & Saturday

Family Day: Birding Bonanza
1 – 4 pm Saturday
Decorate and print your own bird-themed block print and watch Pale Male, the story of a red tail hawk, produced by the New York City Audubon Society and narrated by Joanne Woodward

Bird-themed Storytelling with Rebecca Hom
2 pm Saturday (family friendly) and 3 pm Saturday (adult)

Oiva Toikka Interview (with Anki Lofgren)
2 – 3 pm Sunday

Book Signing Session with Oiva Toikka
3 – 5 pm Sunday

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Next Steps

You might also be interested in the other Public Programs at the Museum, or you could jump to the Calendar to find events. To purchase Birds by Toikka online, visit our Museum Store website.