Dale Chihuly (American, b.1941), "Roman Red Seaform Pair", 2006

Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941)
Dale Chihuly has become an internationally celebrated personality in contemporary art and design, whose prominence in the field of contemporary studio glass is unmatched. During his many years as a teacher, Chihuly made a point of gathering artists from all media to work with him and with glass, with the aim of introducing new points of view and infusing new energy into the process of glassworking.

In 1969, he took leadership of an important glass program at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in Providence, and two years later, he founded Pilchuck Glass School, the premier international school for glass artists, with the Seattle art patrons Anne Gould Hauberg and John Hauberg. Students combined glass and other media in both glassblowing and installation work—often compensating in creative presentation for what they lacked in technique—and they were always encouraged by Chihuly to approach the material in unorthodox ways. With these achievements alone, Chihuly would be recognized for his enduring impact on the American studio glass movement, but he has been able to pursue a prolific and successful career as an artist as well.

While Chihuly’s work has changed dramatically throughout his nearly 50-year career, certain preferences have remained the same. He has always worked glass in a variety of sizes, from small vessels to room-size installations. He has always been interested in sculpture and in outdoor projects where the landscape may be used as a point of departure. Color, on the other hand, has been a gradual acquisition, from the muted, relatively monochromatic 1970s works, such as the Blanket Cylinders and early Seaforms, to the brilliant colors of the Macchias and Venetians in the 1980s and beyond.