{"product_id":"dale-chihuly-blue-opal-macchia-1982-signed-handblown-glass","title":"Dale Chihuly Blue Opal Macchia 1982 Signed Handblown Glass","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArtist\u003c\/strong\u003e: Dale Chihuly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTitle\u003c\/strong\u003e: Blue Opal Macchia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e: Hand Blown Glass\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize\u003c\/strong\u003e: 4.75\" high x 5.5\" diameter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInscription\u003c\/strong\u003e: Signed and dated \"Chihuly 1982\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYear\u003c\/strong\u003e: 1982\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDocumentation\u003c\/strong\u003e: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLiterature\u003c\/strong\u003e: J. Hawkins Opie (ed.), \"Chihuly at the V \u0026amp; A\", P. 37; \"Chihuly - The George R. Stroemple Collection\", Portland Art Museum 1997, p. 43 ff\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDale Chihuly's \"Blue Opal Macchia\" represents a seminal exploration of color, texture, and form within his iconic Macchia series. Measuring 4 3\/4 inches high by 5 1\/2 inches in diameter, the sculpture demonstrates the artist's innovative approach to glass as both a material and expressive medium. The work combines a palette of slate grey and vivid blue, punctuated with brown and black accents, producing a speckled, opalescent surface that captures and reflects light in a dynamic manner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChihuly's technique in the Macchia series emphasizes controlled spontaneity. Small fragments of colored glass, or frit, are applied to the exterior surface, creating layered visual textures. An interior layer separates the inner and outer colors, preventing unintended blending and enhancing depth, translucency, and luminosity. The resulting effect conveys a sense of movement and fluidity, characteristic of Chihuly's signature aesthetic, while maintaining the compact intimacy of this smaller-scale piece. \"Blue Opal Macchia\" demonstrates the same bold experimentation with color relationships and surface irregularities that define Chihuly's later monumental works, bridging the gap between studio practice and large-scale installation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sculpture is signed and dated \"Chihuly 1982\", confirming its origin during a pivotal phase of the Macchia series. It is documented with a gallery Certificate of Authenticity, ensuring its provenance. The work is also cited in important literature, including J. Hawkins Opie (ed.), \"Chihuly at the V \u0026amp; A\", p. 37, and \"Chihuly – The George R. Stroemple Collection\", Portland Art Museum, 1997, pp. 43 ff.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout Dale Chihuly\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDale Chihuly (b. 1941) is an American artist widely recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to contemporary glass. Over the course of his career, Chihuly has expanded the technical and aesthetic possibilities of glass as an artistic medium, transforming it from a traditionally functional craft into a vehicle for ambitious sculptural expression. His practice encompasses blown glass vessels, large-scale installations, architectural environments, and mixed-media works, each unified by a sustained interest in color, transparency, and organic form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChihuly studied interior design and architecture at the University of Washington before pursuing glass at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he worked under studio glass pioneer Harvey Littleton. His academic training continued at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), after which he received a Fulbright scholarship to study at the Venini glass factory in Murano. Exposure to Venetian glassmaking traditions—and the collaborative model of working with teams of skilled assistants—became central to his later methods. Chihuly later established the glass program at RISD and co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington, which would become a major center for international glass education.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the late 1970s and 1980s, Chihuly began developing the series-based approach that defines much of his oeuvre, including the Baskets, Seaforms, Macchia, Persians, and Chandeliers. These bodies of work are characterized by asymmetry, complex color layering, and forms that suggest natural phenomena such as shells, flora, and aquatic structures. His large-scale installations—often comprising hundreds of hand-blown elements—demonstrate an interest in environmental sculpture and the immersive potential of light interacting with glass. Institutions worldwide have presented major exhibitions of his work, underscoring his influence on both the studio glass movement and contemporary installation art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChihuly's sculptures and architectural commissions are held in significant public and private collections, and his projects have been installed in museums, botanical gardens, and civic spaces across the globe. His multidisciplinary approach, incorporating drawing, painting, and collaborative fabrication, continues to shape the evolving dialogue around materiality and scale in modern and contemporary art. Today, Chihuly remains one of the most recognized figures in American glass art, with a legacy defined by innovation, experimentation, and a reimagining of what glass can achieve in both intimate and monumental formats.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Artist - Dale Chihuly","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47707414855834,"sku":"592023843774488","price":5600.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1414\/9028\/files\/dale-chihuly-1982-blue-opal-macchia-handblown-glass-detail1.jpg?v=1775490923","url":"https:\/\/modernartifact.com\/products\/dale-chihuly-blue-opal-macchia-1982-signed-handblown-glass","provider":"Modern Artifact","version":"1.0","type":"link"}