Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Charcoal Lime Venetian
Medium: Hand Blown Glass
Size: 19.125" x 16" x 18"
Year: 1993
Inscription: Inscribed on bottom "Chihuly 93"
Documentation: Includes gallery certificate of authenticity
"Charcoal Lime Venetian" exemplifies Dale Chihuly's innovative approach to the Venetian series, in which traditional glass-blowing techniques are reinterpreted through a contemporary lens. Created in 1993, this work features a richly textured surface in charcoal blue tones that serve as a dramatic backdrop to an elaborate cascade of sculptural, ribbon-like lime green elements. These vibrant accents, formed with dynamic twists and striations of color, create a striking contrast in both texture and palette. The exaggerated handles extend outward with undulating curves, further emphasizing the sculptural complexity and expressive movement characteristic of Chihuly's work from this period.
The piece embodies Chihuly's interest in asymmetry, vibrant color relationships, and the theatrical possibilities of glass as a medium. While grounded in the historical traditions of Venetian glassmaking, this work reflects the artist's distinct visual vocabulary and his commitment to pushing the material beyond conventional form. As with many of Chihuly's early 1990s works, "Charcoal Lime Venetian" demonstrates technical mastery balanced by a painterly, spontaneous sensibility.
Signed and dated on the bottom, the work is accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly is an American artist renowned for revolutionizing the studio glass movement and expanding the possibilities of glass as a fine art medium. With a career spanning over five decades, Chihuly is recognized internationally for his large-scale glass installations, vibrant color palettes, and innovative approach to materials, technique, and form.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1941, Chihuly developed an early interest in art and design. He studied interior design at the University of Washington, where he first began experimenting with glass. In 1965, he enrolled in the first glass program in the United States at the University of Wisconsin, under the mentorship of Harvey Littleton, a pioneer of the studio glass movement. Chihuly later earned a Master of Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he would eventually establish and lead the school's glass program.
In 1968, a Fulbright Fellowship allowed Chihuly to study at the Venini glass factory in Murano, Italy, where he observed the collaborative nature of traditional glassmaking. This experience profoundly shaped his artistic philosophy. While glass had long been viewed primarily as a decorative or utilitarian material, Chihuly approached it as a sculptural medium. He embraced a team-based method of production, working with skilled glassblowers to execute increasingly ambitious and technically complex works.
Chihuly's style is defined by its bold use of color, organic forms, and the dramatic interplay of light and transparency. He has created several signature series over the years, including Seaforms, Persians, Macchias, and Chandeliers. Each series explores different aspects of movement, pattern, and structure, yet all share a sense of fluidity and spontaneity that belies the rigorous planning behind them.
A 1976 automobile accident in England left Chihuly blind in one eye, and a subsequent shoulder injury in 1979 limited his ability to physically blow glass. As a result, he transitioned into a more conceptual and supervisory role, orchestrating the design and execution of works through detailed drawings and collaborative direction. This shift allowed him to scale up his vision, resulting in monumental installations that transformed both interior and outdoor spaces.
Chihuly's site-specific projects have been featured in museums, botanical gardens, and public spaces around the world. Major exhibitions have been held at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, among others. His permanent installations can be found in institutions such as the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, and the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
In addition to glass, Chihuly works across media including drawing, painting, neon, and sculpture in materials such as plastic and ice. His expressive drawings, often made with sweeping gestures and vibrant pigments, serve both as planning tools and standalone works of art. They reveal his deep engagement with color and form, and his intuitive approach to the creative process.
Dale Chihuly's contributions to contemporary art have earned him numerous accolades, including twelve honorary doctorates and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. Beyond his technical innovations, Chihuly is credited with elevating glass to a respected position in the fine arts and inspiring new generations of artists.
Chihuly continues to live and work in Seattle, where he leads his studio and oversees new installations and exhibitions. His work remains a celebration of beauty, complexity, and wonder, pushing the boundaries of what glass can achieve and how it can be experienced.
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