#4 CHIHULY AND BILTMORE THROUGH THE EYES OF GRANDDAUGHTERS!

Abbie in front of Sole d'Oro
Chihuly's Sun created for Biltmore
She said it was "magnificent!"

WHERE I WENT AND WHY...
As a big Dale Chihuly fan, I was excited to learn that he would have a botanical installation at Biltmore.  Then David said, "Why should we spend $70 to see an exhibition we've seen twice (actually this would be my 4th time!)?"  And darn it! He is right.  When Chihuly does a botanical garden installation about 80-90% of the installation is a repeat from other gardens,  He usually does only one or two signature pieces just for the particular space. Of course each garden is unique and brings its own art to the placements. So I was biding my time waiting to see if the opportunity would present itself during cooler weather and not especially concerned if it didn't.  Then my granddaughter read Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty.  It is a junior novel set at Biltmore around the turn of the century.  She now wanted to go see the house, and she loves art.  And this was the last week before school starts, so for her it was "now or never".  (Though it had NOT cooled down. But Asheville and 85 is nothing near Charlotte and 95!) 

WHAT TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO GO...
The Biltmore Estate is at 1 Lodge St. Asheville, NC.  Tickets ($70 adult/ $60 for seniors) are expensive but include the house and the gardens.  I think there is an on line discount 7 days in advance. There are no garden-only tours and there is a night tour which I'm sure would be worth the extra money.  The Chihuly exhibit is there through October 7.  Children 9 and under are free.  Be prepared to walk a lot.  Park in lot C or D so that you can take the shuttle and avoid the uphill walk back to your car.  If you have young children with you ask for the Treasure Hunt, it helps keep them engaged as you walk through the house.

WHAT I SAW...
We saw 14 of the 16 Chihuly installations.  The children (and grown ups) were tired and did not venture out to the shops at Antler Village.  There were chandeliers, two boats, "floating" glass balls, variations of reeds, and several glass "totem poles".  I have seen other installations at night and I know the lighting makes it, as Abbie said over and over, "magnificent".  None of the lighting is interior, but the glass sparkles in the lighting design. (See video near the end of the blog)  Abbie, my 9 year old granddaughter,  truly loved it and used the word "magnificent" over and over.  Ella, the seven year old was harder to impress.  She loved the koi fish, especially the "one who loved her", and followed her around the pond.  My daughter loved the boats full of balls.

Abbie and Ella at the Koi pond.  

Totem pole in the Walled Garden

Totem pole in the Italian Garden

T

Emily's favorite boat
We all loved the purple water lilies!

INSIDE THE HOUSE....

 The treasure hunt kept the 7 year old interested for a while

The Winter Garden was a place in Abbie's novel

While magnificent, I think I like Dr. Hoefler's tapestries better

I knew it was going to be a long day
when they wanted to sit in the loggia,
just the 3rd room we saw!

Serefina would crawl through the duct work and
watch the Vanderbilts through the grates.

Abbie was disappointed in the house.  She had a view in her imagination from reading the book, and the tour just didn't live up to her imagination!  Plus, much of the book takes place in a sub-basement we were not allowed to see.  I think she thought she would be allowed to roam freely like Serefina.  It was dimly lit and too "museam-y" for her!

WHAT I LEARNED...
My husband was right... and wrong!! LOL...  Having seen so many Chihulys I am a little jaded.  It is beginning to feel too commercial to me.  BUT... seeing them through the excited eyes of a 9 year old can be wonderful.

IF MON$Y WERE NO OBJECT WOULD I PUT IT IN MY HOUSE...
The Chihulys... absolutely!  I would just need a MUCH BIGGER house!!

OBSERVATIONS...
Here is a less than 5 minute video about installing the art in the garden.  It tells you about his inspirations, and how the pieces are assembled and lit.

https://www.facebook.com/cnn/videos/10158448597986509/

I said when I started this blog I wanted to explore the Charlotte art scene more.  So far I'm 1 for 3!!  That's what happens when you travel, or stay at your mountain house.  Hopefully I'll be back in Charlotte soon! 

Here is what I mean about repeats...

The boat at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix

...at the Phipps in Pittsburgh

...in Atlanta

WE LIKED IT SO MUCH WE BOUGHT IT.....

When we were in Seattle, many of the art students studied under Chihuly or his assistants.  We found this affordable piece at Pike's Market.  Besides loving the flower shape, the purchase of the item involved performance art!  After visiting the market, we were going on a boat tour of the bay.  The artist said, "No problem!  I can wrap it up so that it is easy to carry!"  He then began to take a spool of bubble wrap and wrap the bowl in such a matter that it had support AND a handle!  It looked like a big plastic pocket book!  Seeing him wrap and turn it, became mesmerizing and definitely was performance art!  AND it made it through the boat tour and back home to North Carolina!!

Our travel group on the Chihuly Bridge in Tacoma, WA....