Chihuly's Glass

Without a doubt, my favorite living artist is Dale Chihuly. I have been fascinated by his work for probably twenty years. I remember reading an article about him and his glass when I was in 5th or 6th grade and I just couldn't get over what he could with glass and color.

I rediscovered that love today when I found his website. I have spent hours today looking at his work and watching videos of his installations, selected works, and process of creating his art... There is actually a Chihuly installation in my hometown. One of his chandeliers is hanging in the Beech Museum of Art here in Manhattan. (My little town continues to surprise me...)

There are several things I love about Chihuly's work. First of all, glass seems to be a little unpredictable. There are accidents that can make a piece more beautiful and intriguing than it was designed to be. Chihuly works fast to take advantage of this. He deliberately tries to avoid thinking too much about his creations during the design phase because he believes that spontaneity is part of the process. He also seems to be one of those people who inspires those around him to reach their full potential and go beyond what they thought they could achieve. People become better artists because of his influence.


The more I think about it, the more I realize that glass is incredible. Sand makes up a large part of it. Sand. And it turns into something desperately beautiful. Something relatively unattractive and very cheap is transformed in the hands of a master craftsman into something exquisite and very, very valuable. What a picture of the Lord and the touch of his hands on our hearts.

I think what I love most about Chihuly's work is how he uses color. I love color. Especially bright, bold color. I also love flowers and nature and the color combinations that God put together. If you visit Chihuly's website (and I highly recommend that you do) check out the video on the chandelier he created for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It's amazing. I think one of the reasons I love that piece is that it's the color of leaves and the sky on a beautiful Spring afternoon. Also, check out the ceiling of the Bellagio hotel. Talk about color!!

Someday, if I am given a lot of money by an unknown relative (and I don't have any, so it's not likely,) I would love to own a Chihuly piece. If I had hundreds of thousands of dollars, I would build a house with a space to hang a Chihuly chandelier. If I had tens of thousands, I would love to have a piece from the "Macchia" series. Since I'm pretty sure that isn't going to happen, I am enjoying his website. Check it out. Your day will be brighter...