Last week, I attended “Sunrise” morning for the Chihuly Exhibit at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Ironically rain was predicted for the sunrise hours this one morning of the week, but fortunately the weather forecasters were wrong. Again.
“Sunrise” mornings are specifically for a limited number of photographers so they can take photos in the early light without the masses “photo-bombing” their efforts. That doesn’t mean amateurs can’t participate, and the tickets were very reasonable. I’m not an accomplished photographer by any stretch, and my camera is a point and shoot. Blogging has given me “some” incentive to add photography to the growing list of subjects I’d like to learn more about, and I might ask Santa for an upgraded camera (although I hardly know what features I need/want that will still be user-friendly enough that I’ll actually use it). I enjoyed watching my two friends, who are avid photographers, plan their shots and set up their equipment.
I don’t know how many tickets were offered for this event, but we were pleasantly surprised at how few people – with or without cameras – were wandering through the gardens from 7-9am. It was worth the ticket price just to have the gardens practically to ourselves.
Chihuly’s work ranges from multiple spire installations to magnificent large pieces. The first time I visited the exhibit, by the time I reached the narrow walkway where many of the spire displays are installed, there were too many people to get any decent photos of the spires. Here are seven installations to give you an idea of the variety that graces that peaceful walkway. None of Chihuly’s pieces move, but the longer I stood at each display, the more I sensed a waving, throbbing, serpentine movement – either because the grasses and plants around them were moving or because the drifting clouds overhead made the tips seem like they were swaying.
bemuzin 
Comments on: "Chihuly Spires at the Botanic Gardens" (53)
Those are beautiful !
Sammy, thanks to your last post on Chihuly, I am completely in love with his work. This is a wonderful post and I’ve loved seeing more pictures, I can imagine how wonderful it was to see when there’s no crowds 🙂
I guess he’s become somewhat controversial because his students now do all the work, and the art snobs think he’s become too commercialized. But every time I’ve seen his installations, they have fit the surroundings so well.
Having no crowds was so special – especially not to hear the incessant chattering. Quite spiritual for two hours.
Sounds like you had a lovely time 🙂
I know that a lot of sculptors have students/assistants to do work…..arty people can be so snooty! lol x
Snooty-eths and know-it-all-eths can be annoyingeth.
LOLeth!! I agreeth 😉
I’m not much of a picture taker, but how wonderful it must be to stroll those lovely gardens so early and without a crowd. Your photos are beautiful!
Thanks, Carrie.
I will go back for another Sunrise morning without my camera and absorb the moments completely for myself. I LOVED not listening to other people’s comments and chatter 🙂
Beautiful photos! Those sculptures are amazing! I had to go look up what they were made of and found they were glass. Thanks for sharing!
Aren’t they imaginative?!? How they can use glass malleable enough to “blow” yet strong enough to withstand our earlier hailstorms is quite a feat.
I have some more I’ll post later – my favorite yet to come! Thanks for visiting 🙂
I’d love to be able to go there, especially the promise of the sunrise entry. It’s so frustrating trying to photograph when the crowds are out.
Yes, I’m sure that is frustrating for photography artists. I enjoyed the quiet immensely. Thanks for visiting, Eileen.
Those are incredible works! I’m glad you had the chance to take the photos and share them. Thanks!
They do remind me of very polished “upper class” versions of some of your mineral gems!
Now, not to gush or anything, but I Googled some images from this guy’s works and the exhibit in Denver… I do prefer your photos… more intimate, or something… they aren’t as splashy or outspoken… the artwork blends in to the point where I had to ask, is that glass or botanics?
Blush. Why, thank you 🙂 🙂
That praise will carry me for a long time.
Those photos are absolutely breathtaking Sammy! You can certainly hold your own in the photography department. Blogging has given me new confidence in that area as well. 🙂 Thanks for sharing these stunning images.
Thanks, Debbie! I probably don’t know what I’m missing with my amateurish camera and lack of lessons. On the other hand, some subjects just seem to photograph well no matter what! I’m glad you liked Chihuly’s pieces. I have a few more for later.
So absolutely beautiful. The colors the shapes, everything here is so much more gorgeous than any statues we could make, buildings we could erect. I am particularly in love with the second to the last shot. Thanks for sharing, Sammy.
Thanks for visiting, Silvia. His work had such vibrant color and shimmer; i felt like I was visiting a zoo with some of these pieces!
I was introduced to Chihuly’s work by a fellow blogger last year and was smitten. I’d love to see an installation, but in the meantime I can come back and drool over these delightful images. Thank you Sammy 🙂
You betcha 🙂 lord knows I’ve drooled on your images !!
Super photos. The Garden looks a great place to visit, wish I lived a bit closer 😉
Thank you! It’s a traveling exhibit; perhaps one day near you? It’s one of the things. I like best about our blogging community – having access to what others share.
Blogging is such a great resource, I agree! I’m on the other side of the pond so I think probably your post is the closest I get to these amazing specimens! Hearty thanks for sharing.
🙂 and not a pond we can row the boat across!
Alas no!!!
Your photos are great, even without an upgraded camera. What a wonderful idea, to allow people interested in photography to have some exclusive time.
Thank you, Shelley! Hard to take a bad photo with subjects like this 🙂
I loved the lack of crowds; will look for such opportunities in other venues. Fortunately this wasn’t an “if you can afford it, you can come”, which is all the more amazing that it was offered.
How magical! You have a wonderful eye for composition and contrast and each shot is a piece of art in itself. Love it. 🙂
Thank you, Kirsten 🙂 All credit really goes to those volunteer gardeners who lovingly tend the residents of that lovely garden.
What beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing them
🙂 thanks, Paula.
Lovely. Thank you for the unexpected inspiration. Are these Murano glass? They remind me of it.
Fondly,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth – they do resemble Murano glass, however this is an American glass artist named Dale Chihuly. He is based in Seattle where he has opened a school, and he’s old enough now that most of the work is done by apprentices under his direction.
Thanks for visiting and I’m glad you enjoyed these. I’ll have a couple more posts in coming weeks. And I’m wondering how in the heck they safely package these beauties to ship them between destinations! I think I will visit the Garden at the end of the exhibit to watch.
I was going to say these look more like surreal art because I thought they were real. Duh.
:-). There are a couple I swear became real as I was there!
Dang – it makes me regret never having gone to the Denver Botanic Gardens while I lived in the area! That exhibit looks amazing – it looks like it could’ve come out of the pages of “Through the Looking Glass” or “Alice in Wonderland”. Beautiful! 🙂
Yes, definitely Alice vibes in his art! This is a traveling exhibit so might come to avenue near you! He lives, and has aschool, in Seattle 🙂
O wow! So beautiful.. and you captured them so well Sammy. Dale Chihuly is such an artist. They blend so well within the garden. How on earth are these jewels transported.
🙂 that’s what I want to know!! They can’t possibly bundle them all up in the stealth of night, but I’m going to find out if We are allowed to watch the crating.
Third, fifth and sixth are my favorites. What a great space!
:-). And I haven’t even posted MY favorites yet !!
Beautiful. I love his work!
Thanks for visiting! I will have a couple more photo posts in coming weeks 🙂
Dear Sammy D:
I nominated you for bookshelf tag, a pseudo award where you talk about books and nominate five other bloggers. Feel free to participate or not, whatever you are most comfortable with.
Hope all is well.
Fondly, Elizabeth
Thank you, Elizabeth. I’ll respond on your own post.
Trippy! Really lovely photographs! 🙂
I agree – fantasmical 🙂
What a fun opportunity – and you got some gorgeous photos out of it! I love his art.
🙂 thanks, Laurel. I’ve been working all afternoon trying to tangle patterns from one of his pieces I haven’t yet shown in a photo. It’ll be awhile before I know whether I have something worth showing.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen photos of Chihuly’s work, but they always delight. Just beautiful!
Thank you, Joanne 🙂 the settings give them such context.