As part of the Visiting Artist Lecture series, for a magical hour, René Roubíček captured the attention of the audience with humor and charm. Speaking through an interpreter, he answered questions posed by Charlie Parriott. Charlie introduced Roubíček by saying, “if you think of Dale Chihuly as the Beatles, then René Roubíček is Elvis.”

Q1: How do you as an artist, establish a team relationship with glassblowers?

RR: “I don’t like the word ‘artist.’ Nothing is easy. I inly do what I can so glass can projects its own image. You let yourself be inspired by glass. Czech artists differ from American–Czechs do not make their own glass; they have to follow the inspiration of the glassblower. It’s important to keep looking forward to tomorrow and making up new ideas. There is no end in sight of what we can create.”

Q2: Describe life as a state artist.

RR: “It wasn’t easy. People will find a way. Sometimes it’s better.”

René Roubíček described himself as a “miracle child from a young age.” He was both musical and a painter. At age twelve he had his own exhibitions of paintings. He was invited to attend a prestigious art school, but couldn’t because the Nazis closed all the art schools except one university. At this school there were opportunities to study ceramics, textiles, and glass. He went into the glass department. “So…” he said, “Hitler is responsible for my becoming a glass artist.”

Speaking about international expositions, Roubíček said it was “a fantastic opportunity to show our work; the doors to the world opened.” The peice he and his wife worked on for the Osaka Exposition was controversial. As a result, they could not work for the next fourteen years.

Commenting on the Museum of Glass, Roubíček noted that there is so much room for everything. As he walked from his hotel across the Bridge of Glass, he thought, “Chihuly is a lucky man.”