Dale Chihuly

Chihuly was introduced to glass in 1964, when, as a weaving student, he made large and small tapestries incorporating strips of fused glass and metal. He didn't begin blowing glass until a year later. During the latter half of the 1960s, Chihuly studied with Harvey Littleton at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, finished his graduate work at RISD, worked in Murano, and then began teaching at RISD in all before the 1970's. He has revolutionized glass in the same way Wendell Caslte did for the studio furniture movement. His fusion of form and color has expanded the field beyond the realm of goblets and vases. He is responsible for founding the RISD Glass program as well as the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington State.