Dale Chihuly is an amazing glass artist. He was born in Tacoma, Washington and attended college in Madison, Wisconsin. He is currently still working and creating art today. He creates beautiful glass sculptures that are breath taking. He creates his sculptures by heating the glass and uses various tools to sculpt and form the glass into organic shapes when it is hot. Many of his sculptures are a combination of smaller individual pieces put together to create one large piece. He is most famous for his chandeliers that hang from the ceilings. Many of his pieces are very colorful and he always pays close attention to the space his sculptures are in. His sculptures are very large in scale and are always the focal point of any room. Some of his art is in museums, but a lot of his art is in public places inside and out. There is actually a Chihuly chandelier right here in Green Bay hanging at the Weidner Center, so check it out if you are ever there! The 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders each created a cup/plate that was melted and strung together to create a Chihuly inspired piece of art. Students had to create a pattern with lines and colors for their design.
I will be teaching Chihuly in the gloom of winter this year, and am so inspired after seeing the exhibit at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. Can you give any specifics on how you made these? Did they use paint? Sharpies? Did they cut the plates and cups? How/where did you melt them? Your results are gorgeous, so any advice is appreciated.
ReplyDeleteEach student painted a pattern using lines (looks nice if you leave some clear space showing) on a plastic plate or cup from the $ store. Make sure they paint on the inside of the cup. Then I had a little toaster oven that I melted two at a time and the kiddos got to watch their cup/plate transform! They started to melt after a minute or so. They look amazing hanging in the hallway :) After I punched/poked a hole in each one and strung them together using fishing line!
ReplyDeleteI like this. I too will teaching Chihuly in the winter, I am hoping to do it as an outdoor sculpture to welcome spring. Thank you for giving details.
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous and so spectacular hanging up. What temperature did you use to melt the cups?
ReplyDeleteI just had the toaster oven on 250 and it only took about a minute for them to start melting! I had a clear window to watch them so I could keep an eye on them!
ReplyDeleteWOW really amazing. The work is just outstanding looking. I will certainly be experimenting with my toaster oven :)
ReplyDeleteIf anyone is interested, I created a short iMovie on Dale Chihuly. It can be seen on my school's web page (www.wapello.k12.ia.us) under my profile. If anyone is interested in using it, I could post it on youtube. Let me know. The "watermarks' would not be on the youtube version. I used this, along with a video as an intro to the unit.
ReplyDeleteHello Rachel, I just found this link to your iMovie about Dale Chihuly.
DeleteHave you posted it to youtube yet? I am interested in using it for a 3rd or 4th grade project intro. Thanks for your reply, Barb SS
Hi Rachel, Have you posted the iMovie about Chihuly on youtube yet? I am interested in using it with 3rd or 4th graders. Thanks!
DeleteB.S.Schmitt
Love it!! What kind of paint did your students use?
ReplyDeleteThey used tempera paint on the inside of the cup/plate :)
ReplyDeleteI really like all of the projects! Do you use a clear plates and cups
ReplyDeleteYes, I purchased clear plastic cups and plates from the Dollar Store :)
ReplyDeleteI just did a test run of this lovely project with colored plastic cups (we mixed a few clear cups in by the end of the night) and got a phenomenal result! Sam's Club has a bag of 140 cups with yellow, pink, lime, and light orange in it. Thank you so much for this idea!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I guess I am still confused with the process. It's also late and my brain is on stand by! Could someone email me the lesson plan? I'm so glad I found this blog! My people!
ReplyDeleteunbelievable! your blog is so inspiring! are these plastic cups and plates the disposable kind or more like a melamine variety? thanks in advance!
ReplyDeleteThanks! The cups were the stronger plastic cups if that makes sense?
ReplyDeleteDid you use acrylic/ kids poster paint or something else?? Thanks
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! What a cool idea!! I have now added this to my lesson plans for the winter. Won't the classroom look gorgeous filled with "glass" sculptures?!
ReplyDeleteI've tried this before but have trouble with the paint chipping off once it dries. How did you get it not to chip? Did you use a particular type of tempura? did you pre-scuff the plates? or use a primer?
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