CHIHULY AT PHIPPS CONSERVATORY

The University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning looms behind a Chihuly glass tower in the outdoor garden.

This is one of the best exhibits I’ve been to in a long time and I am ecstatic to hear that it is here in Pittsburgh for 4 more months (new extended end date is February 24 2008). If you live in Pittsburgh or will be visiting Pittsburgh in the next 4 months, take a few hours to stroll around Chihuly’s wild world.

To be honest, you just have to see it.

Dale Chihuly and Glass Invention

Known as the most inventive glass sculptor in history, glassmaker Dale Chihuly has not actually been able to blow glass for 30 years. He injured his eye in a 1976 car crash and no longer has the depth perception needed to work with the fire and glass.

Despite criticism received for not executing the work himself, Chihuly credits the team that he oversees for his ultimate career success. He said in an interview in 1999;

“Success is being able, for me, to be in a position to create whatever I want to do. To have resources to go to different parts of the world to work with glass and to have a great glassblowing team, a great architectural team, and a great behind-the-scenes team. That is where I truly think that I have been fortunate. That is one area that I can clearly see.”

Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Pittsburgh, more specifically Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Oakland is currently lucky to be hosting Chihuly’s most recent exhibition [link to Phipps photos on Chihuly.com]. The amazing size, sheer complexity and detailed intricacy of the glass sculptures is breathtaking and the sculptures perfectly complement the tangled jungle atmosphere of the botanical garden. It is no wonder that Chihuly’s “the more, the merrier” teamwork attitude has proven so successful.

Phipps has undergone recent reconstruction, including the addition of the most amazing Tropical Forest Conservatory (Thailand Room), but the addition of Chihuly exhibit to the new and improved facilities absolutely transforms the space from what I last (pre-construction) remember it to be.

Walking through the newly remodeled Phipps Conservatory, a favorite attraction for me and my friends during our days at Pitt, I was completely transfixed by the intricate glasswork woven throughout the botanical garden’s new and improved facilities.(PS: did you know that it’s one of the holdest Victorian glasshouses in North America? Yep, built in 1893)

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette reports that “The rooms with the most obvious changes [due to the Chihuly exhibit] include the Serpentine Room, where 6-foot-high cannas stand taller than Chihuly’s amber cattails; the South Conservatory, with tropical plants framing views of a boat filled with colorful glass balls; and the East Room, where silver-leafed plants envelop cobalt glass reeds and spill across rocks into a pool.”

My Nighttime Chihuly Exhibit Experience

My first night spent at the Chihuly Phipps exhibit was slightly out of the ordinary. One particularly stressful ‘hump day’ my friends and I decided we had a desperate need for a Happy Hour and a night out to get us through the rest of the week. After coming up with the brilliant idea to ‘return to our Pitt days’ with Hemingway’s $1 Blue Moons (it was a wonderful surprise to find out it was Wednesday when we got there) and Pita Chips , our Phipps trip became a little more exciting!

We had a great time walking around the many rooms. They said no cameras, but people were taking pictures everywhere, and I basically walked from room to room snapping as many photos I could of the beautifully lit glass pieces on my cell.

We had the most fun in the Discovery Children’s Garden, during the day a fun area for children to run around during the day - and hide in the caves!

For adults attending the exhibit at night, I’d like to issue a warning to adults about going into the Discovery Children’s Garden after Happy Hour: There are fountains and water activities everywhere and if your friend’s boyfriend (he knows who he is) tries to scare you (and you’re a klutz to start with) you may just fall/jump into a fountain and have to walk around in wet boots for half the night. True story. But, the hour I spent in wet boots to finish walking around the exhibit was beyond worthwhile.

Chihuly’s Macchia flowers, reminiscent of Chihuly’s flowers on the ceiling of Vegas’ Bellagio.

When and Where?

I’ll even help you out to make sure you don’t miss this:

Tickets

Here’s the link to the page where you can buy the extended tickets to Chihuly at Phipps, which are going on sale as of November 6. You can even schedule private parties (I’d love to come, thank you!)

Hours

DAYTIME HOURS: Admission hours from November 6 until December 9 and January 1 to February 24 are 9:30 to 5. *Go at least one time during the day*

NIGHTTIME HOURS: From December 10 to December 30, Phipps will be open every evening from 6 to 10 p.m.*Go at least one time at night*

Family New Year’s Eve Celebration

On December 31, Phipps is holding a Family New Years Eve party. No tickets will be sold in advance for that evening, daytime prices apply, members are free all day.

Directions

And, just to make sure you get there, I can even point you to Google Maps to get directions. (Easy Button).

And, you’re off to the amazing world of Chihuly!