Our introduction to Dale Chihuly, whose masterful artistry blends whimsy and innovation to create stunning pieces of glass, began several years ago when we saw one of his chandeliers hanging in the Cincinnati Museum of Art. (That picture is part of an earlier blog on Chihuly here.) After seeing more of his pieces in Seattle and the Corning Museum in NY, Dan grabbed some videos from the library so we could learn a little more about the man and his method. We became official fans.
The Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum opened two months ago; a glass house and outside sculptured gardens nicely round out the several galleries, each dedicated to a series of glass. Although I love the chandeliers, I am often drawn to the Macchia bowls (Italian for spotted) with their rich panoply of colors. Challenging himself to use all of the colors available to him (over 200), Chihuly played with layering the glass, including a white layer to form a "cloud" background. Set under lights, the colors are truly magical.
The plantings in the garden were beautifully choreographed to complement the glass pieces on display; and we were pleased to discover that the Glass House offered a view of the Space Needle between the hanging floral designs. Perhaps my favorite moments, though, were spent under the lighted glass ceiling where strewn shapes and colors created a mysterious underwater effect. Below are several slideshows grouped according to theme.
For more infomation on Dale Chihuly, check out his official site here.