Seattle Part II.... Chihuly's glass

We also saw the Chihuly Garden and Glass at Seattle Center last week.  It was almost color and shape over load.  Part of the exhibit was inside in dark spaces with only the glass sculptures illuminated and the other part was outside with plantings complementing the glass shape and color.  In between the indoor and outdoor spaces was a glass house with a red, orange, and yellow undulating stream of glass sculpture dancing across the ceiling.

The first section included a massive display of Dale Chihuly's Pendleton Blanket Collection.  It was incredible to see them displayed this way.  The display must have been 20 feet high and at least twice as wide.  He has collaborated with Pendleton in the design of blankets combining his design aesthetic and their craftsmanship.  Dale Chihuly also has a book available about his connection to and inspiration from Pendleton blankets.

Moving past the blankets the fanciful, colorful and massive glass sculptures begin.

We were in Seattle in the spring of 2012 went the garden was being installed.  We saw the steel armatures being built and then other workers carrying in the glass sections and installing them.  It was exciting to see the finished sculptures and garden.

Quick Trip To Seattle

We went up to Seattle this week to see two things:
1. Women Who Rock at the EMP
and
2. Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Design at the Seattle Art Museum

Both exhibits were AMAZING!!!  My head is still reeling from all the content.  Here are some of the highlights.

The EMP had the history of Women Who Rock arranged chronologically starting in the 1940's.  Many of the garments were on loan from the performer's themselves.

Tina Turner's rhinestone short dress

Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart

Cher's Half-Breed Costume

Cherie Curie's jumpsuit... note the stains

Joan Jett

Cyndi Lauper's Girls Just Wanna Have Fun outfit

Madonna... complete with signature

Gwen Stefani in her No Doubt days

Lady Gaga

There was also a Fantasy exhibit going on too.  The metal covered tree in the center had 44,000 had applied metal scales.  The dragon from the Seattle Opera was resting in a cave, and there were cork tiles on the floor to muffle the sound of your steps... and I didn't take a picture of any of it.  But I did take a few of the movie items....

Guard costume from The Wizard of Oz... all made in felt!

Trio from the Princess Bride... "Hello... My name is Inego Montoya"

Jareth from Labyrinth

Working the touch screen computer

The EMP building designed by Frank Gehry itself is incredible.  Other sections are in different colors and materials.

No pictures were allowed at the Japanese fashion exhibit at SAM, so I bought the $60 catalogue book that they published.  Totally worth it!  Not only does it have pictures from the garments from the exhibit, but pictures from the runway when the garments were first shown.  You get a much better idea of how the garments fit and move by seeing them on models rather than mannequins.

And Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler were there too.  I didn't see them myself, but I visited with someone at the museum who had and had pictures as proof!  We are so cool in the Northwest.

There has been some traveling going on....

I was in Florence, Italy, a couple of weeks ago.  Hence the lack of posting and activity in here.

The shopping is always wonderful there with the major Italian and French fashion houses lining Via de Tornabuoni.

Casa de Tessuti

Tailoring display

Accessories at Hermes

Hermes

Arno River

Many of the churches are covered inside with mosaics, carvings, and frescoes.  Others are very plain.  These were taken in Santa Croce which is my favorite church in Florence.  The lines to get into the Duomo are long.  Brunelleschi's dome is amazing, but it is usually a long wait.  Since I had already been in the Duomo, I spent my time in other places... with shorter lines.

The pink building at the top of this picture houses the Villa Bardini.  In this museum is the Capucci Collection.... just amazing!