Ask either of us who our favorite artist is (of all mediums), and we will say without hesitation, Dale Chihuly. A glass artist known for his blown glass and enormous glass sculptures, his colorful creations bring a smile to our faces every time.

Born and raised in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, he has spent much of his life in the state drawing inspiration from the waters of Puget Sound, his mother’s gardens, and the art of Indigenous tribes.

In addition to an impressive and extensive educational background, Chihuly has had an incredible career as a glass artist, as you will see by clicking on the previous link. He began experimenting with glassblowing in 1965 and was a well-accomplished artist when an unfortunate car accident in 1976 left him blinded in his left eye. He was able to continue blowing glass after recovering until he dislocated his right shoulder while bodysurfing, in 1979.

At that point, physically unable to endure the heavy lifting required in glass blowing, Chihuly hired other artists to do the work under his instruction and supervision, guiding them in bringing his visions to life. As a team under his extraordinary leadership and entrepreneurial expertise, Chihualy’s sales to date up through 2004 were estimated to have been $29 million. I can’t even imagine what they must be now. There is no published information, but the numbers must be staggering.

Bruce and I had seen Dale Chihuly’s installations in several locations, including the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Chihuly Collection in St. Petersburg, but we were anxious to also visit Chihuly Garden and Glass, in Seattle.

Color is my thing. Over the years, my favorite photographic subjects have been underwater scenes captured while SCUBA diving, hot air balloons, and glass art. I shot a lot of photos in the museum and gardens, so editing them down was a struggle. Here, then, are probably way more pictures of glass than you want to see, but I didn’t want to leave out:

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Chihualy was inspired by snow and ice (above), and baskets woven by Indigenous tribes (below)

The next room was a forest of glass

Next up: SEATTLE & ALASKA #4: ALL ABOARD! RIDING THE DENALI STAR TRAIN