Beautiful Glass Art

Longhornliz · Jul 7, 2004

So my quest for entertainment in the off season continues...

Are any of you familiar with Dale Chihuly? He is an amazing glass artist from the northwest, one of his towers was displayed in San Antonio last spring and thats how I became aware of him.

His site has slideshows of some of his gorgeous works.

www.dalechihuly.com

Blue Bead · Jul 7, 2004

How I love Dale Chihuly's glass work! I first saw it at an installation he did for an art gallery in Columbus, Ohio. It was fabulous! Phenomenal color combinations and shapes with many of his pieces mounted from the ceilings, and some hanging nearly to the floor. A multiple month exhibit of his just closed last weekend at the Franklin Park Conservatory, also in Columbus, which displayed his pieces and incorporated them into the many varied plants in several sections of the conservatory. The exhibit was so unique and beautiful that there are hardly enough words to describe it, LOL. The exhibit was so popular that it's original limit was extended another couple of months. I was sad to see it end. I'm hoping that one or two of the pieces will remain on permanent display.

berthes ghost · Jul 8, 2004

I'm a big fan! :love:

Like 10 years ago he did an hugh installation at the Brooklyn Museum of Art and he made the pieces locally at The Brooklyn Glass Works. It was open to the public and you could go and see him work, and even buy some of his sketches that he was making on site. It was fascinating to see how he directed his crew.

Probably the scariest installation I've seen of his was at the V&A in London. It was a hugh "chandelere" hanging in the main entry lobby, right over the info desk. No way would I like to work 8 hours sitting under some 10 ton glass sculpture hanging from one hook! :eek:

Edited to add: here's a picture of the V&A piece; http://www.dalechihuly.com/installations/v+a/chand01.html

Aloft04 · Jul 8, 2004

I'm a fan too, Dale Chihuly started the Pilchuck Art Glass School (a rustic place in the woods) less than 10 miles from my home, so he was something of a legend before he hit the world stage. Once a year they open that school for students to sell their glass works, and the event has grown each year even though Chihuly now devotes his time to art in the Seattle area. Many of the students' works are amazing in their own right.

Tacoma opened a glass museum last year where much of his work is featured. As you walk in there are hundreds of his glass orbs floating in a relecting pool. Just beautiful!!

Kara Bear · Jul 11, 2004

I think I saw a show PBS last week about him. It was really interesting...it was a tour he did really around the world. He went to different countries and taught local glass makers his tricks. What beautiful work!

Longhornliz · Jul 11, 2004

Kara,

I saw the PBS show about his travels as well, he is such a character. The way he dresses reminds me kind of a court jester or something you would have seen in shakespearian times because its so colorful. I also think its really ironic that he lost the sight in one of his eyes becuase he went through a windsheild in an auto accident... glass is his livelihood, but it took away part of his livelihood as well.

Spinner · Jul 11, 2004

I was lucky enough to see a small Chihuly exhibit last December when I was visiting my parents. The man's talents are just amazing. I wanted to take them all home!

RoaringMice · Jul 14, 2004

Yes, I like most of his work. I studied glass blowing in college as part of my art coursework, and we studied Dale, of course. Then, last year I was in Las Vegas, for business, for the first time and we were going to dinner at Le Circ in the Bellagio hotel. In the Bellagio lobby their ceiling is a piece by Dale. Walking through, I absoltuely stopped in my tracks. They have a gallery devoted to him there. My super-boss (aka boss's boss) tried picking up a piece there and almost dropped it. He joked with the sales clerk and asked what it was worth. She said $40,000, and he sort of blanched.

Here's a link to the Bellagio's site and the piece, listed under "attractions", then "lobby":

http://www.bellagiolasvegas.com/pages/frameset_noflash.asp

berthes ghost · Jul 14, 2004

OMG! That lobby ceiling is beautiful and yet everything else in it is just so hideous. It's like cousin Marilyn from the Munsters, the one truly pretty thing in a whole family of monsters! :laugh:

Kara Bear · Jul 15, 2004

When we were watching the tv show, my boyfriend and I commented that we would love to have a piece of his work. We wondered how much it would cost. I know now that it is out of our price range!!!

Beautiful Glass Art

Longhornliz

Blue Bead

berthes ghost

Aloft04

Kara Bear

Longhornliz

Spinner

RoaringMice

berthes ghost

Kara Bear

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