Three things that define an Arizona native: an uncanny immunity to nosebleeds in dry weather, a healthy drinking habit birthed at age 14, and the mandatory elementary school field trip to Desert Botanical Garden. We may have thought the Garden was lame as children, but one look at the menacing spokes and pricks on the thick cactus skin and we knew we were in an environment of ornery bitches who bring major drama to the landscape.
World-renowned artist Dale Chihuly gets this, and he’s created an installation that showcases his prodigious glass-blowing skills while enhancing the natural beauty of the Garden. "Chihuly: The Nature of Glass" features original large-scale glass sculptures scattered throughout the arid oasis. And while his glasswork has been incorporated in other botanical gardens nationwide, this is his first show in a desert setting.
Nov. 22-May 31, 2008
