Chihuly's glistening glassy greatness

One of my favorite adventures is visiting Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden when Chihuly's work is featured. The gardens and the glass art work hand-in-hand. 

The vast expanse of Fairchild allows for magnificent vistas incorporating the colorful work of Dale Chihuly, the Tacoma, Washington artist, known for his eye patch as much as for his glistening, colorful glass work.

 I think I first knew of Chihuly from the Frasier tv show, Frasier had a Chihuly piece next to his fireplace and I remember him yelling out something to the affect of, "Watch out for my Chihuly!" I didn't know why he was calling the piece a Chihuly at the time, I didn't know it was the artist's name, I just thought it was what the odd shape of the bowl was called.

I visited Fairchild Gardens for their first Chihuly exhibit in 2006 and I have been back every time over the years when they feature the artist.

The Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden has the work on site until May 31, 2015. 

There is more than just the Chihuly glass, if you catch the garden during one of their many festivals and events, that's an added bonus.


There is a Butterfly Conservatory, called Wings of the Tropics, where the butterflies are all from South America, there is more security to get in and out of that exhibit than there seems to be at the airport, all designed to protect the butterflies.

And the Million Orchard Project, designed to propagate millions of orchids on site is really pretty, as you come across orchids randomly in the park. But of course at the moment, the glass exhibit is the star.

Fairchild Gardens is open daily, you can get info at their website: fairchildgarden.org/chihuly