Chihuly Garden and Glass and Seattle Public Schools to Introduce Students to the Science of Glass

SEATTLE, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Chihuly Garden and Glass and Seattle Public Schools have collaborated to create a "science of glass" curriculum that is currently being piloted in three area middle schools. Fulfilling sixth-grade science standards, the program focuses on the properties of glass, including its relationship to color and light, architectural structure and patterns created in installations at Chihuly Garden and Glass.

"This curriculum is a unique partnership opportunity for Seattle Public Schools and Chihuly Garden and Glass," said Dan Gallagher, Seattle Public Schools science manager. "Together, we have developed an interdisciplinary learning experience that supports students' transfer of science knowledge to a new and surprising context – visual arts. Our hope is that through programs such as these, students will experience learning in a more integrated and holistic way."

To develop the program, Chihuly Garden and Glass collaborated with an Instructor Advisory Group, including science and art instructors from Seattle Public Schools. In their visit to the exhibition, kids will be prompted to observe, describe and speculate on qualities of color, properties of form and elements of structure, connecting back to their in-class learnings. Pratt Fine Arts Center, a community partner of Chihuly Garden and Glass, will also be onsite hosting flameworking demos to highlight the properties of glass first hand.

"Every day we see kids asking questions about 'how' when they are onsite. How color is applied to glass. How installations are constructed. How pieces are blown," said Michelle Bufano, executive director, Chihuly Garden and Glass. "The exhibition stirs a sense of curiosity and discovery in kids that has been wonderful to see. This program provides an opportunity to answer their questions in an engaging, exciting and educational way. That is why this partnership is so exciting. We get to provide that educational element we see kids really wanting to know more about."

Dale and Leslie Chihuly are proponents of arts education and support the exhibition team and Seattle Public Schools in this curriculum development. Credited with pushing the medium of glass, Dale Chihuly is known for working in grand scale and technique. From suspended ceiling installations like the Fiori di Como at the Bellagio in Las Vegas to hanging Chandeliers over the canals of Venice, Chihuly has had to invent technical solutions to create such structures. With its expansive installations of Chihuly's signature glass series and large architectural installations, Chihuly Garden and Glass, when coupled with this new curriculum, is well suited as a learning resource for both the arts and sciences.

To further arts engagement for youth and adults within Seattle and the Northwest, Chihuly Garden and Glass has partnered with several local non-profit organizations including Pratt Fine Arts Center, Pilchuck Glass School, ArtsFund and Seattle Public Schools. As part of its partnership, Chihuly Garden and Glass will provide complimentary admission and transportation to the exhibition for all Seattle Public Schools sixth-grade students.

About Chihuly Garden and Glass
Chihuly Garden and Glass provides a look at the career of artist Dale Chihuly. Located at Seattle Center, the exhibition features an Exhibition Hall offering visitors a comprehensive look at Chihuly's significant series of work. Visitors will also enjoy the centerpiece Glasshouse - a dramatic structure housing a suspended 1,340-piece, 100-foot-long glass sculpture -- and the Garden, which is a backdrop for a number of monumental sculptures and other installations. Also housed in the Exhibition Hall is the Collections Cafe, featuring pieces from Chihuly's collections including carnival chalk ware, vintage accordions, vintage radios and cameras and The Bookstore, showcasing the works of local artisans and a variety of books and materials relating to Chihuly's artworks. For more information visit: www.chihulygardenandglass.com. 

SOURCE Chihuly Garden and Glass