Chihuly's colors

by noreply@blogger.com (Rachel) from Hue  (other blog) — last modified 08-20-2008 08:00

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I just came back from seeing an amazing exhibit of Dale Chihuly, a glass blowing artist, at the de Young museum in San Francisco. For those of you in the vicinity, I highly suggest checking it out. Very accessible art, Chihuly creates glass forms like you've never seen before. There is a great flickr slideshow you can check out, too. To give you a greater appreciation for the process behind how these pieces were conceived and created, there's a documentary called Chihuly in the Hotshop that I believe you can rent. image source To get an idea of scale, these things are huge- much wider than one person could wrap his arms around. image source The riot of color is intense, and to really appreciate the nuances, you really have to give each piece a chance to sink in. Otherwise, it can be rather overwhelming. The emphasis here is obviously on theatrical impact. image source image source But I love the subtleties that emerged once you really took in each object on its own. Just lovely. image source Each room showcased items from a particular series. Can you see how enormous these things are? image source This one was called Tabac baskets, and were modeled after Native American woven baskets, both in their slumped forms, textural drawings, and subdued natural tones. A total departure from the dayglo colors of all his other series. image source A bit like stepping into a Dr. Seuss book, don't you think? Wild colors, crazy twirly swirly shapes... My question is, how the heck is that balanced not to tip over? Can't you just see this color combo in a child's playroom or brightly colored throw pillow? image source This gondola was literally exploding with insane glass pieces. Displayed on black glass with dramatic lighting, the overall look was quite striking. image source Love the contrasts created here with the saturated lilac stems against greyish-brown wood. It's the juxtapositions that really make this work. image source These balls were based on the Japanese fishing floats. But on a much grander scale, sometimes up to 40" in diameter, and up to 80 pounds each. image source Notice the pairing of brights next to more muted tones, lights next to darks, small balls beside larger ones? The contrasts really help add to the dramatic impact of these designs. Something to think about when you are doing your own designs. Which is your favorite? Why do you like those particular colors?