// Workers AI · dad joke modeIs Toru Oba a circle? Because he's oba-viously round.
Toru Oba | |
|---|---|
 Oba beside his sculpture "Infinity Portal" (2023)[1] | |
| Born | 大場徹 (Ōba Tōru) 1945 (age 80–81) Minazawa, Yamagata, Japan |
| Occupations | Stonemason, stone sculptor |
| Years active | 1969 – present |
Toru Oba (Japanese: 大場徹, romanized: Ōba Tōru; born 1945) is an American stone sculptor. He is an instructor of stone masonry and creator of landscape features and monumental sculptural structures.
Early life and education
[edit]Oba was born in 1945 in Minazawa, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.[2] He was born into a family of traditional landowners and artists, and grew up in the mountains of rural Yamagata.[2] He completed his early schooling in Yamagata and later finished his education in Tokyo.[2]
In 1969, Oba moved to La Roque-sur-Cèze, France. He apprenticed with French stonemasons working on the 11th century stone village.[2] He lived in France with his wife and daughter until 1972.[2] Then he moved to rural West Virginia, United States, where he created Japanese style gardens, Russian, Finnish and Rumford style fireplaces.[2]
Career
[edit]In 1984, Oba became an instructor of a stone masonry workshop at the Lama Foundation in Taos, New Mexico.[2] Oba subsequently became a founding member of the Stone Foundation, based in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[3]
In 1985, Oba moved with his wife and two daughters to central Virginia.[2] His work evolved towards landscape features and monumental sculptural structures such as Japanese style lakes, waterfalls, massive sculpted stone benches, tables, and freestanding contemporary sculpture. McRaven (1997) remarks that "Toru's stone work is always art".[4] Steinberg (2003) observes that Oba's style of "rough surfaces juxtaposed against smooth ones, wide-open spaces, and nature-like arrangements– betrays a very Japanese aesthetic."[5]
Works
[edit]Oba has six monumental sculptures prominently displayed in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia at the McGuffey Art Center.[6][7] Oba's work is on display at the Brad Smith Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[8] In 2017, Purdue University installed a fountain created by Oba named "Baransu (Balance) Fountain" at the de Bedout Piazza.[9] In 2023, he dedicated a large soapstone sculpture titled "Infinity Portal" at the Buckingham County Public Library in Virginia.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 Staff Report (September 29, 2023). "Buckingham library dedicates sculpture". The Farmville Herald. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "About Toru". toruoba.com. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ "About the Stone Foundation". The Stone Foundation. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ McRaven, Charles (1997). Techniques and Projects. Storey Communication. p. 128. ISBN 0882669761. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ Steinberg, Aaron (May 15, 2003). "Stone Man: Toru Oba Rocks". The Hook. Archived from the original on July 9, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ Fulk, Sande Snead (April 12, 1998). "Triple Your Garden Pleasure; Three Tours Ready In Albemarle County/Charlottesville Area". Richmond Times-Dispatch.
- ↑ "Toru Oba". Charlottesville Inside-Out. Season 9. Episode 11. PBS. April 20, 2016. VPM. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Toru Oba – About the Artist". Brad Smith Gallery. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- ↑ "Baransu (Balance) Fountain". The Purdue Arboretum. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
Further reading
[edit]- McRaven, Charles (2007). Stone Primer. Storey Publishing. pp. 136–137. ISBN 1580176690. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
- Ifeng Space Huanan (2012). Stone Features in Garden Design. Phoenix Publishing. ISBN 978-988-15903-7-4. Retrieved October 3, 2026.