Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Golden Baskets
Medium: Original Acrylic Painting on Paper
Painting Size: 59.75" x 40.25"
Frame Size: 72" x 52" x 1.5"
Date: c. 1990-2000
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly" on bottom front
Documentation: Includes Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact
Dale Chihuly's "Golden Baskets" is a monumental work that transforms paper and pigment into a radiant exploration of movement, light, and organic form. Measuring nearly five feet tall, this original acrylic painting on paper commands attention with its scale alone—its vast surface serving as a stage for Chihuly's dynamic interplay of color and gesture.
The composition bursts with energy: vibrant orange and crimson basket forms, flecked with cerulean blue, hover against a glowing yellow-gold background. The surface shimmers with layered texture, each brushstroke and splatter contributing to a sense of controlled spontaneity. The painterly gestures recall Chihuly's celebrated glass series of the same name, where transparency, curvature, and reflection merge into fluid abstraction. Here, those sculptural ideas are translated into pure pigment, with color taking on the translucence and vitality of molten glass.
"Golden Baskets" exemplifies Chihuly's ability to cross boundaries between mediums—his mastery of glassblowing infuses his paintings with the same rhythm and luminosity found in his three-dimensional work. The monumental size allows the viewer to experience the composition on an almost immersive scale, where the bold contrasts of yellow, red, and blue pulse with life and movement.
Signed prominently by the artist on the lower front, "Golden Baskets" is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from Modern Artifact. As both a visual and physical presence, "Golden Baskets" stands as a commanding example of Chihuly's painterly expression—bridging his glass artistry and his enduring fascination with the expressive possibilities of color and light.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1941) is an internationally acclaimed glass artist recognized for revolutionizing the Studio Glass movement and expanding the boundaries of glass as a sculptural medium. His innovative use of color, form, and installation has made him one of the most influential figures in contemporary art. Chihuly's large-scale glass sculptures, architectural installations, and limited-edition Portland Press works exemplify his lifelong exploration of material, process, and light.
Born in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly studied interior design at the University of Washington, later earning an M.S. in sculpture from the University of Wisconsin–Madison under Harvey Littleton, and an M.F.A. in ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). After a Fulbright Fellowship at the Venini glass factory in Murano, Italy, Chihuly returned to the United States to co-found the influential glass program at RISD in 1969. His early exposure to Venetian glassmaking profoundly shaped his collaborative approach to the medium, emphasizing teamwork and large-scale production rather than the solitary studio model common at the time.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Chihuly developed many of his signature series, including Cylinders, Baskets, Seaforms, Macchia, and Persians. Each series explores organic form and the expressive possibilities of molten glass. Following a 1976 accident that left him blind in one eye, Chihuly increasingly directed teams of skilled glassblowers to execute his designs, transforming his practice into one of conceptual authorship and large-scale orchestration. His work evolved into immersive installations—suspended sculptures, wall compositions, and monumental architectural environments that merge color, transparency, and light.
In 1986, Chihuly founded Portland Press, a studio and publishing arm dedicated to producing limited-edition glass sculptures, prints, and books that document and distribute his work to a broader audience. The Portland Press editions, now continued under the Chihuly Workshop label, have become highly collectible for their craftsmanship and vivid color combinations.
Chihuly's installations have been exhibited in major museums and gardens worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the de Young Museum, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Permanent exhibitions at the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle and at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art highlight the enduring impact of his vision.
Today, Dale Chihuly's legacy lies in his ability to merge traditional glassblowing with contemporary sculpture, redefining glass as a primary medium of modern art. His work continues to celebrate the dynamic interplay between nature, light, and color, establishing him as one of the foremost innovators in twentieth- and twenty-first-century art.
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