COLUMBIA, SC.- The Columbia Museum of Art brings the exhibition Dale Chihuly: Seaforms to South Carolina this fall. Opening on September 5 and running through November 30, Dale Chihuly: Seaforms includes approximately 35 glassworks and preliminary sketches from his Seaform series – colorful, undulating shell-like forms within forms, inspired by the artist’s love of the sea. Chihuly is widely recognized as the world's premier glass artist and has been the subject of many books, critical essays and PBS specials.

Chihuly’s Seaforms are reminiscent of sea creatures and shells, yet they are unpredictable abstract configurations with a transparency and colorful luminosity. Families of Seaforms are large vessels with smaller and smaller shapes nestled within them. The accompanying sketches give insight into the artist’s creative process, and are beautiful artworks on their own. Chihuly’s Seaforms were created over a 14-year period during the 1980s and ’90s.

Seattle glass artist Dale Chihuly revolutionized the Studio Glass movement by expanding its original notion of the solitary artist working in a studio, to the idea of collaborative teams with a division of labor within the creative process. His achievements as a powerhouse of innovation have influenced the world of contemporary craft, and his art has delighted people around the world.

Chihuly exploits the spontaneity of the glass-blowing medium and embraces it rather than subjugating it to his will as traditional craftsmen have done. People of all ages respond to his brilliant colors and complex and organic shapes.

Chihuly’s art can be found in more than 225 museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art (NY), the Museum of Modern Art (NY), the Louvre (Paris), the Victoria and Albert Museum (London) and the Whitney Museum (NY). Chihuly has completed more than 150 public installations around the world.

Generous support for this exhibition has been provided by Dr. and Mrs. Ronald C. Rogers. Supporting sponsorship has been provided by the House of Frames and Paintings.