Dale Chihuly is an incredible glass artist
and visionary. He has been creating glass works for over forty years and is a
prominent name in the contemporary art world. Dale is viewed as a highly
successful artist and his net worth has been estimated at $10 million. His work
can be seen in many different galleries across the country and even
internationally. Known for his bright colors, large-scale projects, use of light,
and love of nature, Dale’s body of work provides a profound experience for
many.
Education
Originally from Washington, Dale attended
the University of Washington in Seattle where he earned a B.A. in interior
design in 1965. From there he continued his education with an M.S. in sculpture
in 1967 studying glassblowing under Harvey Littleton at the University of
Wisconsin. Dale received a full scholarship to study with Littleton who had
established the first glass program in the United States. Following his MS
degree, Dale received an M.F.A. in 1968 from Rhode Island School of Design
(RISD) and went on to receive a scholarship to work at Venini Fabrica in
Murano, Italy.
After he received his MS at the University
of Wisconsin, Dale started teaching a summer class at Haystack Mountain School
of Crafts, which he continued to do for several summers thereafter. In 1969
Dale returned to the United States from Italy and created the first RISD
glassblowing program as well as co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School north of
Seattle in 1971.
Artistic Method
Early in Dale’s career, he created a new
model of glassblowing after sustaining injuries that required him to create his
art with a team of people. This collaborative environment was unheard of at
that time in the glassblowing world.
Dale was involved in a car accident in London
in 1976 that propelled him out of the windshield causing severe lacerations on
his face and left him blind in one eye. He later sustained a shoulder injury
while bodysurfing in 1979 leaving him unable to hold the pipe required to blow
glass.
Due to these physical limitations, Dale’s
creative process evolved into that of an artistic director. He has said that once
he took a step back from his role as the creator, he found that he enjoyed
being able to see and control the artistic process from the outside looking in.
He is able to manipulate the glass and art in ways that he otherwise would not
have working on his own. Not to mention the large scale installations his team
helps create, pack, ship, and assemble once on location.
Dale is now almost 80 years old and is
still actively involved with creating art. He has expanded over the years to
many mediums and continues to produce paintings and sculptures out of a variety
of materials though continues to work mostly in the glass. You can find his work in
a plethora of museums worldwide and many of them nationally. His work and
exhibits continue to be a huge success and he remains a significant part of
glass art history.
Influence
Dale was a huge influence on LeightWorks
artist David Leight as a student at Pilchuck Glass School where David
started creating glass sculptures. David’s work eventually progressed to the handmade
crystal jewelry that he sells today. Based in sunny San Diego, David
creates the crystal pendants, earrings, bracelets, and rings all with
the concept of using light to create beauty. Dale continues to be an
inspiration today for David’s handmade crystal jewelry and David reflects
fondly on the time that he spent at Pilchuck.
Permanent Exhibitions:
·
Oklahoma City Museum of Art
·
Metropolitan Museum of Art (New
York)
·
Chihuly Garden and Glass
(Seattle)
·
Los Angeles County Museum of
Art
Galleries
·
Arthur Roger Gallery, New
Orleans, LA
·
Imago Galleries, Palm Desert,
CA
·
Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto,
Ontario, Canada
·
Halcyon Gallery, London, United
Kingdom
·
LA Louver, Venice, CA
·
Schantz Galleries, Stockbridge,
MA
·
Whitestone Gallery, Hong Kong
·
Whitestone Gallery, Taipei
City, Taiwan
