Ruby Pineapple Chandelier By Dave Chihuly 2013. Beaux Arts Museum Montréal Editorial Photo

Musee des Beaux Arts, Montreal Dale Chihuly born September 20, 1941, is an American glass sculptor and artist. His works are considered unique to the field of blown glass, “moving it into the realm of large-scale sculpture”. The technical difficulties of working with glass forms are considerable, yet Chihuly uses it as the primary medium for installations and environmental artwork. He is also celebrated for large architectural installations. In 1986, he was honored with a solo exhibition, Dale Chihuly objets de verre, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Palais du Louvre, in Paris. In 1995, he began Chihuly Over Venice, for which he created sculptures at glass factories in Finland, Ireland, and Mexico, then installed them over the canals and piazzas of Venice. Chihuly is the artist who created “Fiori di Como,” the glass sculpture that hangs from the ceiling in Bellagio’s lobby in Las Vegas. The sculpture consists of 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms that weigh about 40,000 pounds. They are supported by a 10,000-pound steel armature. Every morning between 2 and 5 a.m., a team of eight to 10 engineers cleans and maintains the sculpture.