
Dale Chihuly works on display at Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona illustrate the magic of a garden setting for his unique glass art
(Last updated December 2021)
Artist Dale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor, credited with revolutionizing the Studio Glass movement. His works are unique in the field of blown glass. After receiving a Fulbright Fellowship in 1968, he worked at the Venini glass factory in Venice, where he observed the team approach to blowing glass, an approach critical to his work today. His works, which include delicate fluted bowls as well as vibrant, large-scale architectural pieces, are displayed in more than 200 hundred museum collections world-wide.
Several major exhibitions of his work are staged each year in cities around the world. Exhibitions often occur in gardens, a particularly apt setting for his work. Each exhibition is unique although it may contain pieces previously displayed elsewhere. Pieces are strategically placed, often fitting in so perfectly they seem specially designed for that spot.
In the fall/winter of 2013-2014, there was an exhibition at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona. These photos from that exhibit give you a sense of what a Chihuly exhibit in a garden is like.
Chihuly in the Garden During the Day



The Chihuly sculptures were placed throughout the garden, sometimes providing a brilliant blast of colour amid the green hues of the desert flora, sometimes blending in so subtly with the landscape I didn’t immediately realize they weren’t growing there naturally.





Chihuly works with four materials: glass, plastic, water, and ice. Polyvitro is the name he coined for a type of polymer his team created. He uses it for works that weigh less than glass.




Chihuly in the Garden at Night
Chihuly uses the way light works with glass. The colours may look different as you view the pieces from different angles of light. And the pieces take on a completely different effect when illuminated at night.





Chihuly Garden Exhibitions
Although the exhibit showcased in this post occurred a number of years ago, a current exhibit Chihuly in the Desert features Chihuly works at both the Desert Botanical Garden and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. The exhibit runs from December 3, 2021 through June 19, 2022. Check Chihuly’s website to find out locations of other current and upcoming Chihuly exhibitions.
With over 55 acres under cultivation, over 50,000 plants displayed in outdoor exhibits and a variety of special events scheduled throughout the year, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, Arizona is always a great place to visit.
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18 Comments
Eva
December 15, 2013 at 12:53 pmThe sculptures are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.
Gail Oswald
December 16, 2013 at 10:21 pmAmazing Donna! Never seen anything like these sculptures
Doreen Pendgracs
December 17, 2013 at 9:20 amWhat fabulous photos! Thanks for sharing. I love the glass sculptures. They really meld nicely with the wonderful cacti.
Donna Janke
December 17, 2013 at 10:53 amThanks Eva, Gail, and Doreen for the comments. It really is a spectacular exhibit. I will be visiting it again.
Steve Grogan
December 17, 2013 at 11:28 amVery beautiful! I think staring at something like that long enough would inspire me to write a story for the first time in ages, or at least a poem or two!
Patricia Weber
December 17, 2013 at 2:08 pmIn all the times I’ve been to Phoenix I have not visited this garden. The photos are stunningly beautiful. Thanks for sharing this with us. Makes me want to consider a special trip. LOL.
Over from LinkedIn group BHB
Susan Cooper
December 17, 2013 at 2:38 pmOh WOW, are those glass sculptures ever beautiful. I had herd of this event from friends in Phoenix and would love to go sometime. Thanks for sharing this.
JeriWB
December 17, 2013 at 10:11 pmThose glass sculptures in the midst of the cacti are quite striking. I’ve a thing for glass, so this is really interesting to me and something I would make a point of seeing if I’m ever in the area.
Donna Janke
December 18, 2013 at 12:01 amThanks Steve, Patricia, Susan, and Jeri for the comments. The Desert Botanical Gardens are worth a visit any time you’re in Phoenix. But the Chihuly Exhibit makes them extra special.
Gabbi Hall
December 18, 2013 at 1:12 pmWow! Those sculptures are so cool and add some incredible color to the desert landscape.
Greg Narayan
December 18, 2013 at 2:07 pmBloggers Helping Bloggers finds me another beauty! Those pictures are awesome Donna. Keep living the snow bird dream! (no idea what that means btw)
Pamela Heady
December 18, 2013 at 5:17 pmLast December, that very exhibit was at the Dallas Arboretum and had actually been extended from the fall months due to its extreme popularity! My mom and I went and the moment I saw your first picture, I knew it had to be the same exhibit! I have many of those same pictures but in a completely different environment. I revisited my photos and then looked again at yours. What fun to see the same Chihuly pieces evoking different feelings because of what’s around them. I love all of his work, no matter where I get to see it! One of my favs for sure!
Oksana Frewer
December 19, 2013 at 10:51 amWhat are the beautiful pictures, Donna! I would never know about Dale Chihuly, if I’d never read this post…
Meredith Wouters
December 19, 2013 at 2:01 pmI’ve been a fan of his since seeing a PBS special on him a couple of years ago. I love that his work is on display like this. They look so natural and delicate. I wonder if they ever break? Thank you for the wonderful photography!
Suzanne Fluhr (Boomeresque)
December 19, 2013 at 5:27 pmWhat a gorgeous exhibit in a beautiful location. I hope they make it to Philly someday. I’d love to see this exhibit in person although I must say your photos are definitely the next best thing!
Donna Janke
December 19, 2013 at 5:29 pmThanks for comments, Gabbi, Greg, Pamela, Oksana, and Meredith. It would be interesting to see the pieces in another environment. Now that I’ve seen them amid the cacti, it’s hard to imagine them somewhere else. I also wondered if they ever break.
20Pat
December 21, 2013 at 11:23 pmI love Chihuly’s glass work. It definitely adds color to the desert!
Michele Harvey
December 22, 2013 at 3:35 pmWow, Chihuly adds so much vibrant color to the desert landscape. The work is beautiful as are your photos. Thank you for sharing this.