Dale Chihuly has almost single-handedly turned the craft of glass-blowing into an art form in America, moving far beyond the common vision of glass to create glass sculpture in a multitude of forms, colors, and sizes. Transferring the European studio tradition to his native Washington state, the artist is known for his series of sculptural glass works, including "Baskets," "Persians," "Seaform," "Macchia," "Floats," "Ikebana," and "Venetians," inspired in part or in whole by natural forms or classical styles. Perhaps the artist is best recognized for his huge installations of organically shaped Chandeliers, some weighing up to almost a ton. His work has been shown around the world: his 1995 exhibition in Venice placed 2,800 handblown pieces over the canals, bridges, and piazzas of that glass-blowing capital. An installation at the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem in 2000 drew a million visitors.

Chihuly has not only revolutionized the status of glassblowing...