Exploring The Chihuly Collection In St. Petersburg, Florida: A Photo Diary
On the day I intended to leave for my solo cross-country road trip, the battery of late grandpa’s car died on my mom’s driveway. I called AAA, replaced the battery and then the embarked the next day for St. Petersburg, Florida. Due to last-minute changes (and lack of planning on my part), I stayed with a friend from university over Mother’s Day weekend. She graciously let me stay at her place over the weekend while I waited for the storms and flooding in Houston and New Orleans to pass and drain away. On one of the days we were torn about going to see the Dali Museum, which I’d been to years before, or the Chihuly Collection and we decided upon the Chihuly Collection — free for mother’s on Mother’s Day and a beautiful new place to explore.
The Chihuly Collection presented by the Morean Arts Center in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida features beautiful sculptures by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The St. Petersburg location is the first location to have both the building and the art work together to provide a one-of-a-kind experience for guests.
Dale Chihuly was born on September 20, 1941 in Tacoma, Washington. He’s an American glass artist and his work has been displayed all over the world.
Stopping at the Chihuly Collection on my solo cross-country road trip was an illuminating experience. A minimalist feel with plenty of open space allowed the art to (literally) shine in the spotlight. With brilliant colors set amidst a dark backdrop, it was as if the glass works of art were colorful beacons guiding lost souls home. Drawn to each glass sculpture and noticing how the colors seemed to shift, I was a moth drawn to the light, unable to look away.
“I never met a color I didn't like.” — Dale Chihuly
The Chihuly Collection also holds a special place in my heart because this was the first location I really tried to use my grandpa’s camera on my road trip. My friend helped me and together we took photos of the glass sculptures. Mostly, we talked and caught up and I was comforted to be with her at the start of my road trip, off on a new adventure and figuring it out along the way.
“I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in some way that they've never experienced." — Dale Chihuly
