Dale Chihuly is a glass artist, glass craftsman and visionary. His work is delightful, playful, grand, bright, fantastic, fluid, outrageous, spectacular, dynamic and inspired by the natural world as well as fantasy.
When I was at CCAC he came to work in our glass department for 3 full days-- 72 hours non-stop glass blowing. He drew and sketched and barked and thought and watched; and his crew spun, molded, blew, sweated, lifted and swung, and on the last day pieces were finished, and also destroyed.
Glass is a lot like sugar.
And going to museums feeds and inspires me in a way I will never be able to describe.
If you have the time, inclination, desire and curiosity, I strongly suggest going to this show. If for no other reason than to take in the de Young in all its amazing architecture.
Chihuly at the de Young
June 14 - September 28
~ Directions to the de Young & other information.
like I need another reason to visit SF!! I was captivated by his work in kew gardens, london, bellagio, vegas, then in seattle, and look it out anywhere I go. I'll try and visit soon.
PS tried your caramel cake and it was AWESOME! Thanks! Need to be a little more risky with the caramel next time, I think it could be left a second later for a richer flavor.
Posted by: Jennywenny | 17 August 2008 at 01:33 AM
I have seen his work before and it is incredible. Too bad I live so far from SF as it sounds like a great exhibit.
Posted by: yankee | 17 August 2008 at 08:55 AM
Love the new do. Kinda Ally Sheedy from Breakfast Club pre Cheesey Molly Ringwald makeover. (You don't have to post this for public viewing,just thought I'd say. Also really enjoyed the Sustainability post.)
Stuart!! So nice to see and hear you here. Thanks for stopping by. And I am flattered by your comparisons! They are very of-my-time-period! Hope to see you at the next Bakers Dozen meeting. ~ Shuna
Posted by: Stuart | 17 August 2008 at 02:35 PM
I love Chihuly. I'm from Seattle and just seeing his bathroom (inside his studio) from a boat in the middle of Lake Washington gave me the tingles...
Posted by: Carmen | 17 August 2008 at 02:57 PM
Ya know, Chihuly is making me comment. Does no one think his stuff is a bit....repetitive? I mean, the first time you see it, it's amazing, the color and the shapes and their relationships and you just want to light it up and stick it on your ceiling...but, well, then all of it starts to look like sperm. Or at least the sperm period (ya know, like a blue period), I haven't checked him out lately so maybe he's again expanded his repetoire. I totally dig Pilchuck though and wish I had stuck with glass so I could go - although I'm just not either creative enough or repetitive enough.
I would agree it's probably a lot like sugar, although I would think sugar is decidedly cooler (being that glass is like 2000f). Maybe I should resurrect the glass dream with sugar - prolly a lot easier to do at home.
Loved your previous post as well - just wanted to say, I don't think that you'll (being you collective, the restaurant people) find yourselves completely extinct because there will always be someone who wants to show they're more fabulous/entitled/wealthy than the little people and will bathe themselves in luxury to prove it.
Posted by: Alyson | 18 August 2008 at 11:37 AM
I love Chihuly, amazing stuff. They seem otherworldly at times, and just plain beautiful. 100% Awesomesauce.
Posted by: Cameron S | 18 August 2008 at 10:49 PM