Friday, May 4, 2012

Dallas Arboretum Blooms with Chihuly Glass Sculptures

"Traipsing past the Dale Chihuly glass sculptures at the Dallas Arboretum is like hopping down Alice's rabbit hole. Bright, whimsical spires of blown glass jut high in the sky, protrude low in flower beds, and float in specially-made boats in water features at the Arboretum. Fifteen installations were made specifically for Dallas by the famous glass artist, and their final debut is the result of years of work to get them here," says Sarah Blaskovich of Pegasus News.

I am in the midst of planning a private cocktail reception to be held at the Arboretum for one of my clients to showcase this exhibit, so I got a private tour of these amazing works earlier this week and let me tell you... wandering the gardens, my mouth was open in awe the whole time.  Until a bug flew in and I closed it. Then my eyes were just as big as saucers.

I do not usually pre-promote events (unless paid to do so) but this is something that CANNOT be missed and I feel compelled to get you there!  I have been a fan of Chihuly's work for years, and being familiar with his work I thought I knew what to expect. I was blown away by the scale and sheer genius of his work.





 “Chihuly at the Dallas Arboretum” runs from May 5 – November 5, 2012 and will feature dramatic glass sculptures in more than 15 locations throughout the 66-acre Dallas Arboretum.  Chihuly Nights*, powered by Cirro Energy, will be held from May through October. Enjoy the Chihuly exhibition in the evening glow of moonlight and tree lights with the artist’s magnificently lit sculptures.
 
Costing $1.8 million to maintain over the course of six months, the Chihuly exhibit at the Arboretum is a first for the site. Arboretum officials expressed interest in a exhibit by Chihuly 10 years ago, but at that time his work hadn't been reconfigured for an outdoor setting. Chihuly has since exhibited in 10 other outdoor gardens, and now Dallas gets its turn. 




Artist Dale Chihuly creates free-standing sculptures, large-scale artwork installations and drawings, which have been exhibited at museums, gardens, architectural environments and galleries throughout the world. Ninety-seven exhibitions in seven countries have presented Chihuly artworks during the last decade, which have been enjoyed by more than 10 million visitors.

Chihuly’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum.  The Dallas Museum of Art features Chihuly's work in the Jazz Atrium and if you've ever been to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, you can't get through the lobby to check in without being immersed in his works.



The Dallas Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, TX 75218
For more information, visit www.DallasArboretum.org or call 214-515-6500

Arboretum Hours:  9 AM – 5 PM
Admission prices:   Adult $15  |  Senior $12  |  Child $9  |  Parking $10

* May through July, Chihuly Nights are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Note: Wednesday tickets and parking option must be reserved online prior to arriving at the Arboretum.  August, Chihuly Nights are every Wednesday.   September and October, Chihuly Nights will be Wednesdays and Thursdays.