Along the north shore of Lake Union, not far from the University of Washington campus, runs Northlake Way. With its views of downtown Seattle, the street is home to a mix of diverse residents – from office buildings and a brew pub to a houseboat community, lumber retailer and Ivar’s Salmon House, a beloved Northwest icon.
What many passersby-by don’t realize is that the large unmarked building next door to the Salmon House contains the studio of one of the nation’s most well-known glass artists – Northwest native Dale Chihuly. With its façade of gray corrugated metal siding, the semi-industrial building, called the Boathouse because it once housed a boat-building facility, has served as the headquarters of Chihuly production since 1989. In earlier years, Chihuly and his wife Leslie lived there as well.
At the heart of the studio is the hot shop – massive ovens that can be fired up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, melting the colorful glass that a team of craftsmen shape and twist, forming the large organic-looking sculptures for which Chihuly is famous.
In 1995, Chihuly made his mark internationally with a landmark project called Chihuly Over Venice, which took the ancient Italian city by storm. For that installation, he created and installed 14 glass chandeliers that were positioned along the canals and piazzas. It began his lifelong connection to Venice…