Aria Las Vegas: Chihuly Gallery

 It's going to start seeming like I am a Chihuly fanatic, since I posted about his San Francisco exhibit last year and now this Chihuly Gallery in Las Vegas, but I'm not. We just happen to stumble across his work. Yes, there was a Chihuly exhibit at City Center in Las Vegas and we took a gander inside.

 Several of the displays were similar to what was shown in the San Franscisco show, such as this yellow starbursty thing, and the blue objects in the previous photo (they were purple in SF).

 But where his work really shines is with a spotlight, in a dark room with black walls.

 To be fair, there were a few other non-Chihuly glass works in this gallery, such as this painting.

 But most of what was shown was Chihuly. Here is a piece that wasn't at SF.

 When his pieces are lit just right, they are pure candy for the eyes. This one would require quite a bit of wall space, but it extremely nice.

 Another piece that was not at the de Young museum in San Francisco. For some reason, this piece reminds me of a cross between Dr. Suess and Monsters, Inc (one of my favorite movies).

 A close-up of the piece from three photos back.

 See? back to a brightly lit room. Not nearly as impressive.

 As opposed to San Francisco, all the art in this gallery is for sale. Yes, you too can own a Chihuly for the right price. On one wall was a grouping of smaller pieces (see right), about the size of two fists. How much were these?

 Here is an example. This piece, entitled Misty Persian Pair, was selling for $6000.

 As beautiful as these are, I can't see putting them in my house even if I had six large to spend. The first reason is that they only come to life with a spotlight in a dark room with black walls (none of those in my house, though I suppose I could build a niche like that), and the second is I don't want anything in my house that is that expensive, that light, that small, and therefore that easily carried off by the first thief in sight.

True not that many dishonest people come in, but we do hire contractors and other workers sometimes and all it takes is one person and whoosh! it's gone. So I'll enjoy these pieces from afar. And if you buy one, please invite me over. I promise all I'll take away are memories and a few digital photos.