Chihuly Garden and Glass, a Seattle exhibition looking at the career of Northwest artist Dale Chihuly, today launched online ticket purchasing for its opening week of May 21, 2012. Located at Seattle Center in the shadow of the Space Needle, Chihuly Garden and Glass features interior galleries, lush outdoor gardens with large art installations and a dramatic Glasshouse, housing one of Chihuly’s largest suspended sculptures, creating an immersive art experience for all ages.

“With the install of each work in the Exhibition Hall and Garden we move one step closer to presenting an experience that will celebrate our region’s creative energy and inspire visitors to engage with the cultural community of the Pacific Northwest,” said Michelle Bufano, executive director, Chihuly Garden and Glass. “Being part of the collaboration between Dale and his team, our community partners, architects, landscape architects and construction teams to bring this vision to life has been humbling. We cannot wait to open the doors on May 21.”

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Chihuly often draws on influences of the region for his artworks, which have been exhibited in museums and gardens around the world, reaching more than 10 million visitors. Chihuly Garden and Glass for the first time brings together all the elements of Chihuly’s work, including Drawings, signature glass series, large architectural installations and personal collections in a long-term exhibition. Featuring a combination of early works, archival pieces from the groundbreaking Chihuly over Venice as well as newly created pieces like the 100 foot-long Glasshouse sculpture, Chihuly Garden and Glass transports visitors into the artist’s world. In addition to the artworks, the exhibition also features a first look at Chihuly’s extensive personal collections in the Collections Café.

Since his days as a boy searching for beach glass on the shores of Puget Sound, Chihuly has been collecting — from carnival chalkware, vintage accordions, radios, cameras and shaving brushes to tin toys. The Collections Café presents a number of Chihuly’s collections amid spruce plank walls, bright green chairs and classic Marmoleum floors, similar to the décor of Chihuly’s studio. The menu takes inspiration from Chihuly’s travels and presents dishes with locally sourced ingredients for a Northwest twist. 

Chihuly calls the Pacific Northwest home and supports many arts and civic communities in the region including Hilltop Artists and Pilchuck Glass School, both of which he co-founded. Pilchuck Glass School joins Pratt Fine Arts Center, ArtsFund and Seattle Public Schools as community partners for Chihuly Garden and Glass. Through these organizations Chihuly Garden and Glass supports opportunities for involvement and engagement in the arts, including the creation of a science curriculum based on glass blowing for all eighth-graders in the Seattle Public Schools.

Privately funded by Center Art LLC, the project brings the visual arts to Seattle Center, the city’s cultural and civic gathering place, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. For hours, admission details or to purchase tickets visit www.chihulygardenandglass.com.