Chihuly at Crystal Bridges

DH and I made a quick trip 

to Bentonville, Arkansas this week

to see the Chihuly exhibit

at Crystal Bridges.

It was well worth the 11 hours of drive time.

Many of the pieces (like these)

were displayed on free-standing pedestals

that allowed viewers to walk all the way around 

in order to study them at very close range

and from many different perspectives.

It was really wonderful to see pieces

I had not seen in his exhibits at

St. Louis and Nashville.

Perhaps because of the colors in the mystery quilt

currently on my design wall,

this piece captured my attention.

Shades of pale blue, lavender,

multiple greens, and

touches of silver and gold.

Exquisite.

It was incredibly hot and humid

but we braved the elements 

to walk the forest trail.

These Belugas were dated 2017.

I've seen the forms before

but not in this arrangement.

I've seen these at all three exhibits

but I especially liked the way they

were staggered along this rocky ravine

so we were looking down into them

rather than up at them

as in the previous exhibits.

There are over 1,300 pieces of glass in this orb.

The brilliant sun made it challenging to photograph

the delicate champagne shades

but I think you can get a good idea

of how gorgeous this was in person.

You really (!!) need to double click to supersize this photo

The flat boat filled with glass 

is always one of my favorites.

At St. Louis it was filled with 

blues and purples

and floated in a musty green pond.

In Nashville it was filled with reds and yellows

and floated on a mirror-like pond

just above a water fall.

Finding the boat filled with so many colors

in the forest with no body of water to be seen

was an unexpected and marvelous surprise.

Quiltdivajulie

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"The technology hasn't really changed . . . We use the same tools they used 2,000 years ago.  The difference is that when I started, everyone wanted to control the blowing process.  I just went with it. The natural elements of fire, movement, gravity, and centrifugal force were always there, and are always with us.  The difference was that I worked in this abstract way and could let the forces of nature have a bigger role in the ultimate shape."  
Dale Chihuly