Chihuly

Last week, we treated ourselves to a day in Toronto. After registering at the Intercontinental Hotel on Bloor Street, walked to the Princess of Wales Theatre to see one of the final performances of "The Illusionists". A group of seven magicians put on an amazing show.

Dinner was at a wonderful Italian restaurant called EVOO on Avenue Road.

Next morning, after checking out, we spent a few wonderful hours in the Royal Ontario Museum. It was the second last day of a glass exhibit by Dale Chihuly. By all accounts, Chihuly is the most outstanding and revolutionary glass artist in the world today.

First up was a boat full of amazing glass balls,

Followed by a boat full of stuff.

A fantasy garden of glass. The garden was 65 feet long and 24 feet wide.

Some of the garden came from his collection of "Seaforms".

A Jerusalem Cylinder recognizes the rough walls of the City.

Experimenting with neon.

Tall red columns growing out of birch logs.

The elements of this ceiling come from his "Persian" phase.

Bowls within bowls

One of his inspirations came from northwest native blankets.

Another came from woven baskets.

"Soft Cylinders are allowed to flow.

In the end, we came away from the gift shop carrying a coffee table book of Chihuly's work, and a limited edition blanket woven with one of his designs.