214:, creating a bubble in the molten glass. As the bubble formed, the glass was shaped using tools and stretching, twisting, and folding the glass to mimic organic, fluid forms reminiscent of aquatic life. Additional layers of glass as well as thin stripes of colored glass were added, and techniques such as pulling or pressing the glass with tools are used to achieve the final shapes of the three glass forms. Chihuly’s team often uses wet wooden paddles or metal tongs to create specific shapes and impressions in their pieces.
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187:. The glass is heated in a furnace at temperatures around 870 to 1,040 °C (1,600 to 1,900 °F) to reach a workable, honey-like consistency. Chihuly then added color to the piece through various methods. One technique involved rolling the hot glass in small shards and powders of colored glass, which melt and blend into the base layer when reheated. This was done multiple times with different shades of blue to create varying opacities and depth.
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229:. This controlled cooling process is crucial to prevent the glass from cracking and to ensure the structural integrity of the delicate forms. After annealing, the rough edges on the bottoms of the bowls were sanded to make them smoother as well as add stability to the largest, outermost bowl. Finally, the three individual bowls were nested together to create one coherent sculpture.
210:. This technique allowed the artist to create a thinner final product because the ribs add strength to the glass, giving it better mechanical properties and therefore, making it possible to thin the walls while retaining the ability to bear the weight of the bowls nested on the inside of the sculpture. The artist then blew air into the
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University's
Special Collections library in 2017, and later to a large community space on the fourth floor where it currently resides. This placement achieved the curatorial team's goal of finding a location for the Chihuly piece with a high level of security and yet still very visible to audiences.
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in 2014. Chihuly is known for his collaborative approach to art-making, often directing a team of skilled glassblowers who help execute his visions. This teamwork allows for the creation of large-scale installations and complex pieces that a single glassblower would find challenging to manage alone.
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Dale
Chihuly, 1997" followed by the dedication, "In loving memory of Herman S. Shapiro, M.D., Vanderbilt medical School 1944, 'a caring and dedicated surgeon' Given by his sons." In conjunction with the donation, Chihuly visited Vanderbilt and several events were held on campus including a public
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Chihuly utilized a variety of glassblowing techniques to achieve the intricate forms and vibrant colors characteristic of the sculpture. The creation of this piece primarily involved the traditional art of glassblowing, complemented by
Chihuly's innovative approaches. The process starts with
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Since its original placement in the front lobby of Eskind
Biomedical Library, the piece was carefully relocated due to a year-long renovation and repurposing of the foyer it occupied. With the assistance of an art relocation specialist, the three nested glass pieces were moved to Vanderbilt
221:. For the Seaform collection, Chihuly enjoyed "letting nature take its course" with the glass and allowing gravity to play a role in shaping the glass. Once the three individual pieces were shaped, they were cooled slowly in a
206:. This technique involves pressing the ball of glass on the end of the blowpipe into a ribbed conic mold made of metal. The use of these molds created a ribbed texture on the sculpture, resembling that of a
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sculptures in various colors. The works feature thin glass wrapped in a spiral fashion which
Chihuly describes as "pieces with natural rhythm and fluidity—tributes to the sea." The first work in the
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set consists of three nested bowls with thin, undulating walls. The sculpture is characterized by its organic, flowing shape that resembles marine life and the movement of water, made from
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wrap around the outer rim of each bowl. The three individual components are not permanently adhered to one another, instead delicately resting within each other.
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Unique to this piece is
Chihuly's desire for organic shapes as opposed to the uniformity that is often seen in traditional blown
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The entire process combines technical skill, artistic vision, and a deep understanding of the material properties of glass.
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In 1998, the $ 40,000 sculpture was donated in memory of Dr. Herman S. Shapiro, a member of the
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lecture, children's drawing class, and exhibition of
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class of 1944, by his sons and placed in the Eskind
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gathering molten glass on the end of a long, hollow pipe, known as a
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444:"Seaforms" at Chihuly at Catalina Island Museum in 2017
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245:. Displayed along with the piece is a plaque with the text, "
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strands wrapped around it. The piece incorporates shades of
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Indigo Gold Leaf
Seaform Set with Midnight Lip Wraps,
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Walker, Celia. Email to Olivia Omas. 10 April 2024.
202:collection, Chihuly's team incorporated the use of
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137:was completed in 1982, and the most recent piece,
194:Side view of glass spiral wraps and ribbed effect
494:"Glass piece set for permanent Eskind display"
464:Greenberg, Jan; Jordan, Sandra (12 May 2020).
135:Smoky Quartz Seaform Set with Onyx Lip Wraps,
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422:"The Seaform Series – WMODA | Wiener Museum"
71:Vanderbilt University Sculpture Collection
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498:Vanderbilt University Medical Center News
298:"Indigo Blue Seaform with Red Lip Wraps"
239:Vanderbilt University School of Medicine
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170:at varying opacities with a contrasting
466:World of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly
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247:Indigo Blue Seaform with Red Lip Wraps,
152:Indigo Blue Seaform with Red Lip Wraps
107:Indigo Blue Seaform with Red Lip Wraps
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243:Vanderbilt University Medical Center
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492:Humphrey, Nancy (10 April 1998).
368:McClellan, Irene (2019-06-28).
441:Studio, Chihuly (2017-08-30).
398:Studio, Chihuly (2023-06-16).
82:is a blown glass sculpture by
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264:List of works by Dale Chihuly
117:series, an evolution of his
370:"The Glass Blowing Process"
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548:Sculptures by Dale Chihuly
125:series includes several
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304:. Vanderbilt University
96:underwater environments
523:cpc-fis.vanderbilt.edu
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558:Vanderbilt University
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88:Vanderbilt University
225:in a process called
92:Nashville, Tennessee
16:Blown glass artwork
453:– via Vimeo.
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302:Artist Index
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274:Studio glass
269:Glassblowing
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121:series. The
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111:Dale Chihuly
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84:Dale Chihuly
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39:Dale Chihuly
339:12 February
308:14 February
204:optic molds
158:glass with
156:translucent
146:Description
127:blown glass
109:is part of
542:Categories
528:2024-04-15
468:. Abrams.
450:2024-04-15
427:2024-04-15
407:2024-04-15
379:2024-04-15
374:DMG School
329:"Seaforms"
285:References
233:Provenance
102:Background
279:Glass art
227:annealing
401:Seaforms
258:See also
212:blowpipe
208:seashell
200:Seaforms
198:For the
185:blowpipe
133:series,
131:Seaforms
123:Seaforms
115:Seaforms
60:Location
503:8 April
333:Chihuly
172:crimson
119:Baskets
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168:cobalt
164:indigo
160:opaque
52:Medium
36:Artist
68:Owner
55:Glass
505:2024
470:ISBN
341:2024
310:2024
223:kiln
166:and
150:The
47:1997
44:Year
113:'s
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
