Chihuly at Cheekwood in Nashville TN

Chihuly at Cheekwood in Nashville TN

Renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, widely regarded as the most innovative glass artist in the world today has brought his craft to Nashville TN.

Chihuly at Cheekwood will be open until October 31, 2010. See his captivating pieces throughout  the Cheekwood. Pieces have been installed to create an enchanting wonderland of color, light and form. the Chihuly sculptures actually mingle with nature there in the garden. See the Silvered Red Bamboo "planted" or interspersed in tall stalks of the real thing.

Cheekwood is a 55 acre estate and mansion built by the Cheek family of the Maxwell House Coffee fortune. The gardens consist of 10 special displays with stunning natural landscape. The pathways wind through trees and rolling hills to allow glimpses of the artwork from several angles, often before you get to a particular display. It took 12 professionals, and 20 volunteers 11 days to install this amazing exhibit at Cheekwood. This show was born in 2008 when the Chihuly team came to Middle TN to tour the gardens. They walked the grounds and took pictures and notes to take back to the Seattle with them.

Dale Chihuly, born in 1941 in Tacoma Washington, first started using glass as a student at the University of Washington. In 1965 he enrolled in the first glass program in the country at the University of Wisconsin.  In 1968 he was awarded a Fellowship to work in the Venini Factory in Venice Italy. There he learned the "team approach" to blowing glass that he uses today. He co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle and is rumored to employ as many as 150 "Chihuligans".

From now through January 2, 2011, Chihuly at the Frist will offer his museum pieces such as "Mille Fiori" and "Sea Blue and Green Tower".