Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Red Basket with Black Lip Wrap
Medium: Hand-Blown Glass
Dimensions: 7.5" tall x 9" x 9"
Year: 1995
Inscription: Engraved Chihuly A.C.M. and dated 95
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
Dale Chihuly's Red Basket with Black Lip Wrap (1995) is a striking example from the artist's celebrated Color Series, showcasing his extraordinary ability to translate bold, expressive color into three-dimensional form. Hand-blown with Chihuly's signature spontaneity and fluidity, this sculptural vessel features a glowing, semi-translucent red body contrasted dramatically by a deep black lip wrap—a hallmark technique that punctuates the form and accentuates its delicate contours.
The basket's soft, organic shape recalls Chihuly's iconic Basket Series, originally inspired by Northwest Native American weaving traditions. However, in this iteration, color takes center stage. The radiant red glass glows from within, interacting with light and shadow to enhance the sense of movement and delicacy. The black lip wrap adds a powerful visual anchor, framing the edge with elegant restraint and highlighting the work's formal tension between fragility and strength.
Engraved on the underside with "Chihuly A.C.M. 95", the piece may have originally been retailed through the American Craft Museum in New York City—an institution now known as the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) and a notable supporter of Chihuly's early glass works.
Red Basket with Black Lip Wrap is a luminous and rare example of Chihuly's mastery of form, color, and craft. It stands as both a vibrant visual statement and a tactile celebration of the artist's pioneering role in contemporary glass.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly is one of the most celebrated and influential artists in contemporary glass, renowned for transforming the perception of glass from a functional craft to a fine art medium. Born in 1941 in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly has spent over five decades redefining the possibilities of glass through innovative techniques, monumental installations, and a singular artistic vision that bridges sculpture, architecture, and painting.
Chihuly's journey into glass began during his studies in interior design at the University of Washington, where he first experimented with the material. After earning a Fulbright Fellowship, he traveled to Venice to study at the famed Venini glass studio on the island of Murano, a pivotal experience that introduced him to the team-based approach to glassblowing—a model that would become essential to his process. He later earned a Master of Science in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and an MFA in ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he later founded the school's glass program and taught for over a decade.
In 1971, Chihuly co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, which has since become one of the world's most important centers for glass art. It was during this time that Chihuly began pushing the boundaries of traditional glassblowing, experimenting with scale, color, and form in ways that were both radical and deeply expressive.
A 1976 car accident left Chihuly blind in one eye, and a subsequent shoulder injury prevented him from blowing glass himself. These life-altering events led him to adopt a collaborative studio model, directing a team of master glassblowers to help realize his vision. Far from limiting his work, this approach allowed Chihuly to create increasingly ambitious installations and to explore new dimensions in his art.
Chihuly's major series—such as Macchia, Persians, Seaforms, and Ikebana—are marked by their fluid lines, vivid colors, and organic forms. His large-scale installations, like Chihuly Over Venice and Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem, as well as his permanent exhibition at the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum in Seattle, have drawn millions of visitors and helped bring studio glass into the public imagination. His works have been displayed in prestigious institutions around the world, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris, and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
In addition to glass, Chihuly is also a prolific painter. His vibrant works on paper—often executed in acrylic or watercolor—mirror the expressive energy of his glass pieces and serve as both independent artworks and blueprints for his sculptures. These paintings offer a deeper look into his creative process and are widely collected and exhibited.
Throughout his career, Dale Chihuly has remained dedicated to experimentation, collaboration, and education. His influence on the contemporary glass movement is immeasurable, and his legacy is cemented not only in the breathtaking beauty of his creations but also in the community of artists and institutions he has helped shape.
Today, Chihuly continues to create from his Seattle studio, and his work remains a dynamic force in the worlds of contemporary art, design, and architecture.