Dale Chihuly

(American, B. 1941)

“Glass is the most magical of all materials. It transmits light in a special way.”
— Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly is one of the most well-known American glass artists of the 21st century. He is renowned for his experimental and innovative contributions to the art of glass blowing, creating immersive pieces that play with color, form, and light. Chihuly primarily works in a large scale, often incorporating nature into his art, or rather, his art into nature. He is neither limited by his use of color nor his eye for detail. Millions of visitors gather to view Chihuly’s extraordinary exhibitions around the world, including his recent local exhibit Chihuly in the Desert at Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens that featured a colorful display of glasswork mingled within the desert life found in the gardens. This collection also went on display at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West, making him the first artist to have displayed his work among the architecture of the Wright building. Chihuly’s works express a range of themes whether it be Navajo blanket patterns, Japanese fishing floats, Italian Art Deco, or floral chandeliers. One of his most remarkable architectural exhibits took place in Jerusalem, Israel in 1999, featuring illuminated melting ice walls in addition to glasswork, representing the “dissolution of barriers” between people. Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem had over 1.3 million visitors, holding the world record for most visitors to a temporary exhibit. In addition to Chihuly’s prolific history of magnificent exhibitions, with at least one occurring annually since 1995, his works are featured in over 200 permanent collections across the world. His biggest collection is currently on display at Oklahoma City Museum of Art until June of 2024. Chihuly’s remarkable skill and artistic vision is the foundation of his success. Furthermore, his ability to overcome hardships and remain a prominent public figure has solidified his status as one of the world’s greatest glass artists.

Chihuly was born on September 20, 1941 in Tacoma, Washington. He faced tragedy at a young age, after losing his brother in an aviation accident, and two years later, his father of a heart attack. His mother influenced him to pursue higher education following his graduation from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1959, leading him to study interior design at the University of Washington in Seattle. Chihuly began working with glass in 1961, until he dropped out of college to study in Florence, Italy. After spending some time abroad, Chihuly returned to the University of Washington where he attended a weaving class. He developed a method of incorporating glass pieces into woven tapestries, which later won him an award from the Seattle Weavers Guild in 1964. It wasn’t until 1965 that Chihuly would begin experimenting with glass blowing. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in interior design, Chihuly attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison under a full scholarship to study with notable glass artist, Harvey Littleton. He received his M.S. degree in sculpture in 1967, and later went on to get his M.F.A. degree in sculpture at Rhode Island School of Design. Chihuly found success in his glasswork very early. He received a grant from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation as well as a Fulbright Fellowship to work in Italy at the Venini glass factory in 1968. It was at the Venini factory that Chihuly witnessed glass blowing as a team, which would inspire how he works today. By the next year, Chihuly would once again travel throughout Europe and work with many notable artists like German glass artist Erwin Eisch and Czechoslovakian contemporary artists Stanislav Libensky and Jaroslava Brychtova. In 1976, Chihuly was blinded in his left eye after an unfortunate car accident. He recovered from the incident and continued to blow glass until a bodysurfing injury in 1979 dislocated his shoulder. Chihuly was unable to blow glass himself following the injury, but his career was far from over. He began hiring glass artists to do the physical work under his instruction, which proved to be a successful and enjoyable position for Chihuly. In 2005, Dale married his wife, Leslie Jackson Chihuly, and together they have one son.

Controversy began in 2006 following Chihuly’s claims that his former employee and glassblower, Bryan Rubino, was copying his work. The lawsuit and subsequential countersuit by Rubino sparked scrutiny of the integrity of Chihuly’s brand, especially since he wasn’t directly producing or even physically signing a large quantity of his own works. It was agreed upon that the supposed influence Chihuly had on Rubino’s works didn’t constitute as copyright infringement, and both suits were eventually settled. Chihuly’s way of creating in a team setting made him subject to another lawsuit in 2017 when former contractor claimed he was never compensated for “millions of dollars of paintings” he said he created. Chihuly dismissed these claims, insisting that although he depends on people to help bring his vision to life due to his injuries, it is still his own work. Although the integrity of Chihuly’s system has been questioned by the media many times since the uprising of multiple lawsuits, he has seen little effect in art-market values for his work.

Chihuly is recognized for many other accomplishments throughout his career, including several philanthropic endeavors. In his young adulthood, Chihuly spent a few summers teaching at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. A few years later, in 1971, he cofounded the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, where he would continue to produce many of his own works over the years. Chihuly also founded the HillTop Artists programs at Hilltop Heritage Middle School and Wilson High School in his hometown of Tacoma. In 1994, he received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement, and in 2006, he won a gold medal from the American Craft Council. Overall, the artist has received over twelve honorary doctorates and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 1998, Chihuly and his glass blowing team were the subjects of the documentary Chihuly Over Venice following his ambitious exhibition of the same title in 1995. In 2009, Chihuly and his wife founded the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation to help fund public art education. The couple has since supported many organizations that focus on the arts, as well as health and education. In 2017, Chihuly donated $3.4 million worth of large glassworks to the U.S. General Services Administration. Later that year, he opened up about his struggle with bipolar disorder for the first time in efforts to aid the destigmatization of mental illness. It is no doubt that Chihuly took advantage of his success as an artist, as his legacy and lifetime of philanthropy has shown.

Chihuly’s works have been viewed in over 200 permanent collections and dozens of temporary exhibitions across the world. More than half of the United States holds a collection, and many states hold multiple collections in various galleries or museums. Over 14 organizations hold Chihuly’s works in his home state of Washington, including the Tacoma Art Museum, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, and the Seattle Center. Other notable collections include that at the Denver Botanic Gardens in Colorado, the San Jose Museum of Art in California, the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida, the Garfield Park Conservatory in Illinois, the Honolulu Museum of Art in Hawaii, the Flint Institute of Arts in Michigan, the Nevada Cancer Institute, the Rockefeller Center in New York, the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas, and many more. Chihuly also has two retail stores in Las Vegas at the Bellagio and MGM Grand Casinos. Internationally, his works are on permanent display in collections like that at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Ritz-Carlton Millenia in Singapore, the 360 Mall in Kuwait, and the Atlantis luxury hotel in the United Arab Emirates. Significant temporary exhibitions throughout Chihuly’s career include Chihuly Exhibition at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland in Glasnevin in 1995, the Winter Olympic Exhibition in Utah in 2002, Wrapped in Tradition: The Chihuly Collection of American Indian Trade Blankets at the Mayborn Museum Complex in Waco, Texas in 2007, Through the Looking Glass at Boston Museum of Fine Arts in Massachusetts in 2011, Dale Chihuly: Glass in Bloom at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, and countless more in between. Chihuly’s method of directing his artistic vision through glassblowing teams has allowed him to produce an incredible mass of works, allowing his art to be shared with viewers, appreciators, and collectors around the globe.

American Fine Art, Inc. is proud to feature the original works and limited editions of Dale Chihuly. Visit our 12,000 sq. ft. showroom in Scottsdale, Arizona or call today. Our website is offered only as a limited place to browse or refresh your memory and is not a reflection of our current inventory. To learn more about collecting, pricing, value, or any other art information, please contact one of our International Art Consultants. We look forward to giving you the one on one attention you deserve when building your fine art collection. We hope you find our website helpful and look forward to seeing you in Scottsdale soon.