A favorite artist of mine is the incredibly accomplished glass sculptor Dale Chihuly. He was born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, and began his career in the arts with a degree in Interior Design from the University of Washington. Chihuly also received Masters Degrees from the University of Wisconsin and the Rhode Island School of Design. Perhaps his most influential studies took place in Venice, where he worked at a glass factory while on a Fulbright Fellowship. Chihuly was blinded in his left eye following a car accident in 1976 but continued to blow glass. His sculptures are at once fantastical as well as rooted in real-world forms. One of Chihuly’s most magical creations is his Bridge of Glass, located in his hometown of Tacoma. The 500 foot long pedestrian walkway was designed in collaboration with architect Arthur Andersson and connects the Museum of Glass and downtown Tacoma. Shown here is the Seaform Paviliion, one of three parts of the bridge. The 50'x20' ceiling is plate glass with 2,364 objects placed on top. Both natural and (when needed) fluorescent light plays in and around the sculptures, creating the feeling of being underwater. Chihuly continues to create inventive and breathtaking glass art today.
Photo Credits | Large Image: Amanderson, Inset Image: Amit Chattapadhyay