Cuadro

Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington, USA in 1941. He attended the University of Washington in Seattle in 1960 where he studied interior design and architecture. In 1967 he received his M.S. in Sculpture from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, where he studied glassblowing. In 1968, Chihuly received his Masters of Fine Arts degree in Ceramics at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he later helped establish the school’s glass programme. In 1971, Chihuly co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School, the premier international school for glass artists in Stanwood, Washington.

As the technical capabilities of his team and his facilities grew throughout his 40-year career, so did the size and colour varieties of Chihuly’s individual pieces and installations. However, certain factors have remained the same; Chihuly has always worked in glass in a variety of sizes, from small vessels to room-size installations and he has continuously been interested in outdoor projects where the landscape may be used as a point of departure.

Chihuly’s most daring works are his architectural and outdoor installations. As he shifted his attention from object to environment, the results were magnificent. In ‘Chihuly Over Venice,’ he installed chandeliers in 14 sites around the Italian city of Venice, adorning the canals and complementing the architecture and water. His ‘Gardens of Glass’ at Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom juxtaposed the artificial and the natural on a massive scale. Projects such as these are testaments to Chihuly’s extraordinary ability and passion.

Chihuly’s sculptures are housed in museums, concert halls, corporate offices, public spaces and private residences around the world. He continues to work in his 45,000 square foot studio on Lake Union, Seattle, Washington.