First Light
To continue this walk, turn back towards town following Arnet Rd and then turn right onto First Street. You can proceed along Gibson St. or Neill St. to 4th Street and then turn north towards the Wolf in the Fog.
Description
First Light is artist Daniela Petosa’s homage to local surf culture both through the images that inspired it as well as through the shaping techniques using vintage surf templates to create its clouds. This artwork uses three elements to capture a Tofino skyscape — the ceramic radiating sun which brings colour to the room, grey surfboard-shaped clouds, and a flock of crows.
Ceramic artist Daniela Petosa leapt at the challenge to create this commissioned sculpture and to push her craft outside her comfort zone. While the centrepiece of the sun taps into her foundational knowledge in ceramics, she shares how she developed her craft to meet this challenge.
While in Mexico, she made a discovery which led to a technical and visionary breakthrough deepening that connection to surf shaping. Through a course at Metchosin International Summer School the Arts, she gained valuable insight into crafting the figures of the crows. Petosa discusses the delicate smoke-firing process and perfect pigment which helped bring the crows to life.
First Light’s public art opening was on March 4, 2020, a warm gathering of artists and supporters and one of the last public events before Tofino closed down with the onset of the pandemic. Petosa credits the late Dorothy Baert for encouraging her to apply for this public commission via the District of Tofino and the Public Art Advisory Committee.
To learn more about this commissioned artwork visit: www.tofino.ca/firstlight.
A more detailed artist biography can be found on the artist’s website at: www.danielapetosa.com/pages/biography
