Chihuly at Atlanta Botanical Garden

I’ve been to see this garden several times, but seeing Chihuly at Atlanta Botanical Garden will remain an awe inspiring experience for a long time. I couldn’t speak. I think I probably would have cried if I had given myself time. I eagerly ran/walk from piece to piece and each time I turned around the light would hit the glass another way and I would be struck by the beauty. Again and again.

The hardest part about this post is trying to put into words a feeling that words cannot express. I cannot say this enough: You must make it a priority to go see Chihuly at Atlanta Botanical Garden.

I had the privilege of visiting during the Garden Writer’s annual meeting and the early morning light was spectacular. Can you imagine the beauty of seeing these lit at night?

The Garden website describes, “Internationally acclaimed artist, Dale Chihuly, returns to the Garden for an encore exhibition of his spectacular works of art, presented in a setting that has doubled in size since his blockbuster show here in 2004.

Chihuly in the Garden includes 19 installation sites all set amongst the Garden’s natural beauty. The kaleidoscopic colors of the art for which the artist has become so famous may also be experienced in a different light – at night when the Garden offers extended hours.”

Glass and Gardens

It amazes me how artist Dale Chihuly can form glass into shapes and textures perfectly befitting the many architectural plants of a garden. The team that set up Chihuly at Atlanta Botanical Garden did a wonderful job of placing these in places where both the glass and the gardens looked magnificent.

How wonderful to see the shape of these agave mirrored in the glass piece behind?

And is it me, or do these “eels” seem to come alive out of a bed of ferns? I really don’t like eels one bit, but I couldn’t quit staring at the flow of these pieces.

In the conservatory the hanging vines of the Cissus plant envelop visitors and give this piece a perfect frame.

Red spires are glowing among the chartreuse coleus.

Glass and Water

As another natural pairing, the sculptures of Chihuly at Atlanta Botanical Garden are combined with the garden’s many water features. I am sure this serves as a visual aid as well as helping to keep visitors from physically touching the glass pieces.

And as if these weren’t enough, the iconic Fiori Boat and Niijima Floats are situated in the same space as the Earth Goddess Mosaiculture Sculpture create an unbelievable landscape. The water flows from the hand of the Earth Goddess and into the reflecting pool with the floating glass pieces. Whoa.