Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Venetian
Medium: Charcoal Drawing on Paper
Image Size: (approximately) 17.5" x 12"
Frame Size: 22.75" x 18.75"
Date: c. 1988-1992
Documentation: Comes with a gallery certificate of authenticity and certified third party appraisal from FOSS Appraisal Service
This original charcoal drawing by Dale Chihuly was created during the development of his Venetians series, a body of work produced in close collaboration with master glass-blower Lino Tagliapietra between 1988 and 1992. Executed on paper in expressive, gestural strokes, the drawing captures Chihuly's process of conceptualizing form and movement for the elaborate glass sculptures that would follow.
These drawings played a direct role in the studio's creative process, often made the night before a glass-blowing session to serve as visual guides for his team. The energetic marks and visible fingerprints in the charcoal reflect Chihuly's hands-on approach and the immediacy of his vision. Each drawing functioned not only as a communication tool but also as a standalone expression of the artist's ideas in their earliest stage.
Rarely available on the market, preparatory works from this period offer valuable insight into the collaboration that defined the Venetians series and showcase the fluid relationship between drawing and glass in Chihuly's practice. Accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity and a certified appraisal from FOSS Appraisal Service, this work stands as both a document of artistic process and a compelling piece of art in its own right.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly (b. 1941, Tacoma, Washington) is a pioneering American artist best known for his groundbreaking work in glass. Over the past five decades, Chihuly has redefined what is possible in the medium, not only through his monumental sculptures and immersive installations, but also through his innovative and collaborative approach to the creative process.
Chihuly's early interest in form and design led him to study interior design and architecture at the University of Washington. He was introduced to glass in the early 1960s and soon went on to study at the University of Wisconsin under Harvey Littleton, a founder of the American studio glass movement. He continued his training at the Rhode Island School of Design and later as a Fulbright Fellow in Murano, Italy, where he absorbed traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques that would deeply influence his future work.
Unlike many artists who work independently, Chihuly has long embraced a collaborative model. After losing sight in one eye in a car accident in 1976 and later suffering a shoulder injury, he stepped away from physically blowing glass himself. This shift led to the development of a team-based studio practice in which Chihuly serves as artistic director, orchestrating complex projects with the help of skilled glassblowers and assistants. This method allows him to work at a scale and complexity that would be impossible alone, and it has become a defining feature of his practice.
At the heart of Chihuly's creative process is drawing. His sketches are not simply preliminary studies, but active tools for communication—visual blueprints that help his team understand his vision. These drawings began as functional diagrams, rendered quickly in charcoal or pencil. Over time, they evolved into vibrant, expressive works of art in their own right, often created with bold strokes of acrylic, watercolor, or metallic paints. Chihuly has described the act of drawing as a form of energy transfer, capturing the immediacy and movement he envisions in his glass.
Chihuly's process is both intuitive and highly organized. He often begins with a conceptual idea, which he then explores through drawing, model-making, and conversation with his team. The final glass pieces are executed collaboratively, with master gaffers interpreting Chihuly's vision through techniques refined over decades. This approach has enabled the creation of some of his most ambitious works, including the large-scale chandeliers, towers, and installations that fill botanical gardens, museums, and architectural spaces around the world.
Over the years, Chihuly has worked with a wide range of collaborators, including fellow glassblowers, engineers, fabricators, and even composers and choreographers, expanding the reach of his work across disciplines. His projects are often site-specific, designed in response to the environment in which they will be shown. This sensitivity to space, light, and color is a hallmark of his work and speaks to his training in design and architecture.
Dale Chihuly's legacy is not only one of material innovation, but also of collaboration, generosity, and vision. His willingness to relinquish control over the physical making of his art has opened the door to extraordinary possibilities in glass, and his creative process remains as dynamic and expansive as the work itself.
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