Chihuly's Glass Sculptures Exhibition at the ROM ( Royal Ontario Museum)

ROM - The Chihuly Glass Sculptures Exhibition runs from June 25

Glass balls floating in a boat!

A couple of years ago, we were in Arizona, USA, and visited the beautiful desert botanical garden there.

 We were lucky as the the Botanical Garden was hosting a special outdoor Chihuly Glass Sculpture exhibition in its garden.

We loved the show!

Laguna Torcello - an intricate garden of glass with floats, reeds, crystals & white Belugas

I was happy when I learned that the Chihuly exhibition would take place at the Ontario Royal Museum  - ROM starting on June 25.

As a member of the ROM, I enjoy the privileges of attending the preview show before the exhibition opened officially.

Red Reeds on White Logs

Dale Chihuly, an American born artist, learned his crafts of glass blowing in Venice as a young artist.
















He has been working and experimenting with glass sculptures for over fifty years.

I love his work! I love the bold colour, various shapes and the sheer sizes of Chihuly's glass sculptures!

Persian Trellis 2016 - This special installation was created  and designed specifically for the ROM

I saw quite a number of Chihuly's installations at the exhibition.

There was a special one called the Persian Trellis 2016 which was created and designed specially for the ROM.

I saw beautiful glass sculptures of sea urchins, shells. jellyfish  hung on a wooden trellis. I learned that Chihuly started making these special roundels with wavy irregular forms since 1986.

Northwest Room

There was a surprise exhibition of another kind which I did not expect.

Chihuly's collection of trade blankets being displayed in the ROM

Chihuly has a collection of native baskets and trade blankets in his boat house in Seattle.












Inspired by his own collection of native baskets and trade blankets, Chihuly created glass sculptures shaped in the form of baskets with northwest designs.They were life like.

Can you tell which pieces on the left are Native baskets and which ones are Chihuly's glass baskets?

Of all the Chihuly's installations at the ROM, my most favourite was a ceiling installation - a brilliant, creative installation hung on the ceiling in one of the exhibition rooms.

It was breathtaking! The colour was absolutely heart stopping!

 I stepped into the room and the entire ceiling was lighted up with spectacularly beautiful colourful glass sculptures shaped like sea shells!

To help visitors to enjoy this amazing installation hanging from the ceiling, the artist had huge body cushions scattered at various places in the room where visitors could lay down comfortably to view this piece of art.






I loved it! I lay down on one of the cushion, took my time to admire this piece of gorgeous installation. I did not want to get up at all!

The Chihuly exhibition will be in Toronto from now until January 2, 2017.  I hope Torontonians and people from around the area will make use of this opportunity and enjoy his wonderful work!

R.T.
Royal Ontario Museum
Toronto, Ontario