If you like glass art, you have probably heard of Dale Chihuly, the Seattle glass artist whose colorful organic works have been exhibited around the world. Chihuly decided to open his first permanent gallery in downtown St. Petersburg in July, and it's a great place to visit if you are a glass art lover like me. Located along an upscale section of Beach Drive, the 7,600-square-foot gallery offers a look at the diversity and complexity of Chihuly glass.
Chihuly's love of nature is inspiration for most of his signature glass sculptures that take organic forms such as shells, flowers and sea creatures. Here you can also see one of his breathtaking chandeliers and his famous rowboat filled with hundreds of brilliant orbs. Each of 16 installations is displayed in a space of its own, with lighting so perfectly tuned that it becomes part of the exhibit.
The Chihuly Collection is part of the Morean Arts Center, an educational facility and gallery about a mile away. If you have time, purchase the ticket that includes admission to the Hot Shop and Morean Galleries. Over at the Hot Shop, you'll see live demonstrations of glass blowing and you can even sign up for a mini-lesson to create your own work of glass art.
Check out my VisitSouth.com blog post on the Hot Shop
here. For more information on the Chihuly Collection, go to
http://www.chihulycollectionstpete.com/