Dale Chihuly began his career with a weaving class at University of Washington. He first incorporated glass shards into woven tapestries in 1963. It was this foray into glass that led him to blow his first glass bubble in 1965, by melting stained glass and using a metal pipe. It was not until several ears later that he revisited the idea of combining textiles and glass, drawing with intricate threads of glass, then fusing the threads onto molten glass.

Immersive experiences

Blown Glass Sculpture of what I think are lilies and leaves

I’m thinking Calla Lilies, how about you?

Dale unites color, light, form and space to deliver uniquely immersive experiences, Dale Chihuly has created ambitious architectural artwork installations all over the world. His inspiration is a lifelong interest in architecture and gardens which leads him to create site specific sculptures for a wide variety of settings including public spaces, museums, private homes and gardens.

How it’s done

More of the Macchia series

Organic shapes and seashells

I’m sure by now you’re curious to find out how sculptures are made out of glass.

First, a batch of glass is heated in a furnace to 2,150º F. Yes. That is extremely hot!!! But that’s what it takes to make the glass the consistency of honey. Then, the glass is gathered onto a long metal tube called a blowpipe.

The glassblower turned and rolls the tube while also blowing into the tube to keep the glass round and even. When the glassblower blows into the blowpipe, the glass blows up like a balloon. Tools such as pliers, shears that look like large scissors, and forceps that look like giant tweezers, can be used to shape and sculpt the glass.

Chihuly Float Boats

The glass needs to be kept above 1,000º F therefore it is often reheated in the furnace.

Lastly, when the sculpture is complete, the glass must cool slowly in an annealing furnace for several hours.

The entire process takes an entire team of people to complete. In fact, Chihuly relies on his team to do most of the glassblowing. Called Drawings, Chihuly completes the works on paper that you see in the galleries. Then his team uses them as reference for completely the sculptures.

Drawings

After losing his sight in his left eye and later dislocating his shoulder, Chihuly began drawing as a way to communicate his vision and designs to his team. The drawings became more than a communication tool, they became an important part of his artistic expression. He paints with squirt bottles, brooms and brushes to represent the objects he wants to make.

The Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower

The Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick Memorial Tower

When the Oklahoma City Museum of Art moved to its current location in 2002, Dale Chihuly worked with architects and engineers to construct this memorial to Eleanor Blake Kirkpatrick, a generous supporter of the museum. This is what welcomes you as you enter the museum lobby. The tower spans all three stories of the OKCMOA and remains lit 24/7. It is 55 feet high!

More fun facts about it are that it is composed of 2,100 individual hand blown glass pieces and weighs 12,000 pounds. There is a steel structure, or spine, that holds the glass pieces with 2,100 individual forks. The tower is 10-feet in diameter at its widest points. It took 2 and a half weeks to install!

Waterford Crystal Chandelier

Waterford Crystal Chandelier by Dale Chihuly

In 1995, Chihuly and his team became the first guest artists to work with glassblowers and master engravers at the Waterford Crystal factory in Ireland. Each piece of glass on the chandelier has been cut with a different design. This work of art is almost 10-feet tall and weighs in at 2,000 pounds.

Persians

A small portion of the Persian Ceiling

More of the Persian Ceiling

Dale’s Persians are known for their curved, ruffled edges and jewel like colors. When we looked up at the Persian Ceiling in the OKC Museum of Art Dale Chihuly Exhibit we noticed how the light shining through the pieces caused reflections on the walls. Some of the glass is translucent and allows light to pass through it. That’s what causes those reflections. Some of the glass is opaque and completely blocks the light.

Steve actually laid on the floor to take the photos of the Persian Ceiling. He felt it was the best way to capture this spectacular installation.

Reeds

Dale Chihuly has traveled the world in search of inspiration. His sculptures in the Reeds series are inspired by tall, thin grasses that grow in wetlands. To make one reed, a glassblower holds the hot glass on the blowpipe, climbs onto a mechanical lift and then blows into the glass. Another person on the ground pulls it from below to make it extend as long as ten feet!

Reeds

In 2001, an ice storm left trees down near the property of OKCMOA’s Carolyn Hill who was Executive Director at that time. The timing was perfect because Chihuly wanted logs from Oklahoma trees to be used for Reeds. The fallen pieces of wood are what you see in the installation today.