Chihuly 2

I enjoyed seeing the Dale Chihuly Glass Exhibition at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens in

Miami in February so much, that I went back last Saturday to enjoy them again.  They were

magnificent and even better, and so I took a lot of pictures.  This time I have decided to

show multiple views of an installation, so that those unable to visit Miami this spring

can still get a good idea of the show.

This is the "Float Boat," filled with many of the blown glass objects from Chihuly's studio.

They are based on the floats which fishermen use to hold up their nets, except that

they are in brilliant colors.  The Tropical Gardens have 1,077 acres.

Every angle gives you a different view and experience.  Here the glass balls look like

grapes around exotic tropical fruits.

The raspberry and melon balls look delicious.

Behind the boat and on the lake are Walla Wallas, special float forms with a tip.

And across the lake, on a little peninsula, is the "Paintbrush Tower."

The "Paintbrush Tower," like the other towers, is an assemblage of almost 1,000 pieces of

blown glass, each stuck onto a central steel post with arms to hold each piece.

Mr. Chihuly came to Miami several times and walked around the 1,0777 acres and chose

the specific locations for each of his 27 installations.

"Walla Wallas" bobbing in the lake.  Each of them is carefully anchored to place it

and they do not move around, although they look very free.

Three "Walla Wallas."

Raspberry, lime, lemon, and orange "Walla Wallas" amidst the water lilies.

The "Palazzo Ducale" Tower was originally created for an exhibition in Venice.

In Miami, it is set in the midst of a forest glen, and there are a number of benches

around so that visitors can sit and rest and enjoy the wonderful interaction of

nature and art.  There are orchids growing on either side.

Each of the artworks looks different from different angles and at different times of the day.

I purposely took pictures first in the morning and then later in the afternoon, with the

sunlight shining ON them and the sunlight shining THROUGH them.  Here, I am shooting

against the sun and the light comes through the thousand individual pieces of glass attached

to that central steel armature core.

Here I wanted to remember how the tower fits into nature, that there are palm trees and

banana trees, and hundreds of others all around.  The tower does not stand isolated.

And, of course, closeups reveal a whole new world.  Here you can see how what were once

bubbles or balls on a blow-pipe were drawn out and twisted and sometimes pulled through

a piece of steel die in a ring with teeth to produce those ridges you can see.

Chihuly has a huge collection of metal parts from old factories that he uses to create

his forms in molten glass.

"Red Cattails" are a series of red reeds, some twisted, that began as a glass bubble on a blow pipe 

and were then pulled down with a long pliers to make the reeds.

"Red Cattails" along the side of an island and in the lake.  Each is hollow and is

supported by being placed on a steel post sunk in the ground.

I find new flowers each time I visit the Gardens.  This was my special find this time.

This gorgeous blossom, more than six inches in diameter and growing close to the main

trunk of the tree at my eye level, is a "Heaven Lotus / Gustavia Augusta."

Two more "Heaven Lotuses" growing on a tree in the Tropical Rain Forest.

"Forest Fiori - White."  I imagine Chihuly had a great deal of fun here.  He created a number

of "Forest Fiori" or "Forest Flowers" throughout the Tropical Rain Forest.  They are in

the stream, by the waterfall, in a clearing, etc.  All are separate pieces of blown glass,

hollow, and placed over steel stakes in the ground.  Glass is both delicate and easily

broken, but also very sturdy and long lasting.  These artworks will be out-of-doors,

through rain and sun and heat for six months, and they should be fine.

Forest Fiori, exotic creatures growing in the Tropical Rain Forest.

Blue and Yellow Forest Fiori

Copper Red Forest Fiori.  These forms might be either plants or exotic birds.  They are

all along a stream, and if you look carefully, you will see little lizards climbing on them.

Copper Red Forest Fiori.  Notice the little lizard on the far right piece.

Green Forest Fiori.  These pieces end in what are called "frogs feet form."  The hot glass is

pressed into an iron form from a factory to create the shapes.

"Amethyst and White Forest Fiori."  These beautiful forms almost look like exotic

herons dancing in the shadows of the woods.  Or perhaps cranes, with their

necks intertwining.

These are three large "Macchia Bowls" placed on pedestals in the Butterfly House.

This is a special form created by Chihuly and which he has used for years.  Until his studio

 created them, no one had ever been able to blow a bubble this large and work it open without dropping it on the floor and breaking it.  Chihuly's studio has developed many new techniques.

In this case, the blown bubbles of soft glass were rolled on steel tables on which had been

placed pieces of colored glass to create the mottled look.  The glass workers then took small

rods of colored glass, heated them, and made the rim for each macchia.

Some more big, beautiful macchia.  Notice the colored lips on each.

"Fire Orange Baskets."  These very large vessels, standing two feet high, are also in the

Butterfly House.  Inside the large vessel are nested several smaller bowls, like nested

baskets by a Navajo craftsman.  Chihuly is greatly influenced by Native American arts.

Another set of "Fire Orange Baskets."  These are further examples of the large size

in which Chihuly can work glass that has never been done before.

"Irridescent Blue Balls" nestle in a waterfall and stream inside the Fern Greenhouse.

They look like large bubbles coming up from the water below the waterfall.

The "Fiori Boat."  This is the second boat in the exhibition.  This is the view I had while

sitting at one of the outdoor cafe areas and enjoying a cup of chocolate ice cream.

The "Fiori Boat" is one of my favorite pieces and each time I take a step,

a different fascinating view emerges.

Incredibly luscious and delightful to look at.  You can look at each piece on the boat and

try to understand how it was made.  Notice the long yellow tendrils with red tips -

this is the form he also used for the "Paintbrush Tower."

Details of "Fiori Boat."

"Fiori Boat" treasures.

There are also some individual pieces of Chihuly for sale in the Gallery.
This is the Purple and Green Persian.  The large form began as a purple bubble on a
blowpipe, was taken off onto a puntee and then opened up.

Nested Orange Bowls

Nested Bowls

White Bowls with Blue Lips

Macchia Bowl

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