Dale Chihuly

If you have never heard of Dale Chihuly... prepare to be impressed.

The first time I saw his work was in the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas. It blew my mind. It feels like a million different colored jellyfish are about to descend on you. But they are all glass. Check it out:

I thought it was awesome and he has been one of my favorite glass artists since then. He uses light and color in a very similar way to old stain-glass artists, but in a new and modern way. Unlike the past few artists I have explored, Chihuly had extensive art training including a Bachelors of Arts in Interior Design, a Master of Science in Sculpture, a Master of Fine Arts and he studied glass in Venice on a Fulbright Fellowship. What I also love about him is that he was successful in creating art that people actually wanted. Just check out his Wikipedia Page to see how many permanent collections, as well as Exhibitions he has around the world.

To me, he takes blown glass to a whole new level from just a craft to a full blown art form. What I think makes this difference is the fact that early on in his career he actually lost the ability to blow the glass himself. He said that "Once I stepped back, I liked the view." He was able to see his craft as something bigger within itself, and that vision is what makes his installations so incredible.