Monday 10 September 2012

Dale Chihuly- The Master of Glass Art


Dale Chihuly is one of the most famous and fascinating modern American artists. Dale Chihuly artwork has become so famous because of the artists wide range of artistic experience and blending or artistic disciplines and multiple points of view to create a truly unique final product. He is best known for his exquisite glass work which has propelled the medium to the forefront of the modern art scene.

Born in 1941 in Tacoma, WA, Dale Chihuly grew up at a time when glass was just heating up as a medium in the art world. Although glass blowing in an ancient art with deep historical roots, it was only beginning to become a widely appreciated art medium in modern America at the time Dale Chihuly began studying art. After studding interior design at the University of Washington, Chihuly continued to broaden his artistic horizons by enrolling in the nation’s first glass program at the University of Wisconsin. After that time, he received the prestigious Fulbright scholarship to study glass blowing at the historic Venini factory in Venice, Italy. The Venini factory was groundbreaking because of their team approach to glass blowing where many hands touch a single piece of art. Dale Chihuly’s art went on to encompass this group technique in its implementation. Later in his career, Chihuly was sidelined from the process due to an accident and declining health issues. His incorporation of the team approach to glass blowing early on in his career allowed him to be the mastermind of how the art would come together without blowing any of the glass himself.

Today, Dale Chihuly is best known for his fine glasswork. His long and diversified career however has run the gamut due to extensive training among multiple art disciplines. Dale Chihuly paintings and drawings have also gained widespread critical acclaim. Also, he incorporates elements of many mediums into his work. The most famous Chihuly glass sculptures utilize a basket weaving technique based on his interior design training. Dale Chihuly has also incorporated images for Navajo blankets by painted them on glass in his famous Navajo Blanket Series, completed in 1975. His interested and love of nature has led Chihuly to do many hybrid projects bringing together elements of art and nature. His love of botanical gardens has led to many garden, arboretum, and greenhouse installations.

Dale Chihuly artwork can be seen all over the world. His work is featured in over 200 museums, multiple travelling shows, as well as countless hospitals, public spaces and private corporations. Some of his most famous massive art installations can be found at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and at the Seattle Greenhouse which Chihuly masterminded and created in 2012. While his most iconic pieces are giant art installations, his work is also extremely popular among independent collectors. The ability to buy art online has caused a serious upsurge in Chihuly art featured in private collections. Dale Chihuly artwork is some of the most recognizable and unique in the world today. His diverse artistic training and interests has yielded an incredibly eclectic and Avant Guard point of view.

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