Dale Chihuly is easily one of my favorite current artists. Working with blown glass, Chihuly creates vibrant and whimsical sculptures that consistently catch the eye!
Not since Tiffany have we seen such fun and beauty in the world of colored glass.
Chihuly himself is an intriguing character. Born in 1941, he did not have an easy life. He lost his brother in a Navy accident, and his father not long after to a heart attack. But he worked hard, studying interior design in college and earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture.
He spent time teaching, and traveling through Europe. In 1976, while spending time in England, he was involved in a head-on collision which cost him his left eye. He still continued with his work! A few years later, he dislocated his shoulder in a bodysurfing accident, but still he refused to give up entirely. He could not hold the glass-blowing pipes he needed, but hired others to help him and continued to create his famous works. It is still his visions, still his imagination that fuels these designs. In his own words, he is now "more choreographer than dancer...more director than actor."
Last February, while visiting @sjarvie5 for a couple of days, she took me to see an exhibit of his work at the Desert Botanical Gardens near Phoenix. As both of us are long-time fans of Chihuly's work (I was first introduced to him when I saw the blown-glass ceiling of the Bellagio in Las Vegas) it seemed the perfect outing!
From vases and bowls to pure unique sculpture, Chihuly's award-winning genius is displayed in not only the US and Canada, but also England, China, Singapore, Israel, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.
His use of color and shape are unmatched in this world of blown glass. May his work continue to inspire and delight!
When I saw the thumbnail of your post I thought "I know that piece!" Yay, great to see your pictures from our outing. Crazy it has been a year.
I know, right?! I mean, it's literally almost an entire year. LOL But it's still such a fantastic memory!
I agree that his work is pretty interesting with all that class. I remember when I was working in art museum at the bar that had one of his chandeliers hanging up, and perhaps it was just playing or perhaps there's Brilliance behind it I don't know but there's nice colors and nice shapes 100%