Chihuly in Gardens at Franklin Park Conservatory

Although examples of Chihuly hand blown glass art can be seen all year at Franklin Park Conservatory, rarely seen pieces were recently reinstalled. The exhibition called Chihuly Reimagined will remain open to the public until March 2010.

The Chihuly Reimagined Exhibition as been reconfigured with pieces now owned by the Franklin Park Conservatory but not recently on display. In addition, new examples of Dale Chihuly’s unique preeminent glass art were added. Examples of the Chihuly Reimagined Exhibition of glass art is found throughout Columbus, Ohio’s historic botanical garden intermingled with plants and on display in the atrium gallery on the second floor.

Glass Sculptures in Botanical Gardens

For their sheer size, the Chihuly chandeliers are some of the most impressive blown glass sculptures in the botanical gardens. The massive scale complements the architectural height of the conservatory, but also the intricate colored glass elements melded together then suspended in mid air.

At the main entrance, one called the Silvered Plum and Cobalt Float Chandelier welcomes visitors. This chandelier was made of a polyvitro plastic making it a much lighter weight. Other Chihuly chandeliers, found throughout the indoor gardens at Franklin Park, are blown glass some that evolved into remarkable glass towers.

Two of Chihuly’s forms are seen together in the outdoor courtyard, off the Himalayan Mountains House. The Blue Reeds and Marlins glass sculpture incorporate into the display the remains of a massive native white oak tree. The almost two hundred year old Quercus alba was removed from a nearby neighborhood street after it died, the result of a lightening strike.

Butterflies on Chihuly Art and Tropical Plants

In the Palm House, visitors will find the Yellowtail Chandelier and Bluetail Chandelier hanging, one on each end of the oldest glasshouse at the conservatory. The Pacific Island Water Garden House has sitting among its tropical plants the Sunset Tower; visitors should look out for butterflies, as this is the glasshouse where the annual butterfly release takes place.

In the atrium gallery, Chihuly blown glass art is on display, many accompanied with framed drawings. Art examples include the Venetians, Macchia and Ikebana collections.

Glass Blowing Classes at the Hot Shop

The outdoor pavilion off the courtyard houses the Franklin Park Conservatory Hot Shop. Local professional glassblowers, called gaffers, use molten glass to create art pieces that, after production, are sold in the Botanica Gift Shop at the conservatory.

Glass blowing classes are open to the general public. Registration is required with no previous experience needed. The weekly workshops offer participants the chance to create blown glass objects while working alongside gaffers.

Friends of the Conservatory Buys Chihuly

In 2003, the first Chihuly exhibition was put on display in the 73,000 square feet glasshouse called Franklin Park Conservatory. During the summer of 2004, The Friends of the Conservatory purchased most of the pieces previously on display.

Friends of the Conservatory is a private nonprofit organization made up of people who promote and volunteer at the conservatory’s functions. The volunteer group started in 1980, after a group of local citizens banded together in the late 70s to revitalize the historical glasshouse.

Exquisite hand blown glass art is mixed with the historical botanical garden in Columbus, Ohio. The Chihuly Reimagined exhibition is a rare opportunity to see art, gardens and even wildlife in one place.