Friday, January 2, 2009

Skywatch: Sunset at the Desert Botanical Gardens

Happy Friday! I'm still enjoying time with family in Arizona, along with the fabulous sites. The Phoenix area is home to the beautiful Desert Botanical Museum, which exhibits both native and exotic (and often rare) desert plants. This holiday season, the museum has incorporated into its already stunning landscapes the glass sculptures of artist Dale Chihuly. Chihuly has arranged the sculptures so that they echo or contrast the plants around them. I'm still going through the hundreds of photos I took (Salix created a monster when he bought me that camera!), but here are a couple shots of some of the glassworks in the sunset that greeted us as we left the exhibit.



I have a few more precious days here--then I'll have more time for blogging. In the meantime, thanks to all of you for your kind comments--I hope your new year is off to a brilliant start!

Oops, almost forgot--here's the link to other contributions to Skywatch.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Cosmo, what a lucky coincidence. Chihuly's glass artworks are the stuff of dreams! I have a link to his website bookmarked and study it when I need to leave this earth and reach for the stars! The works shown in your photos are wonderful, so glad you took so many, you will treasure them when you are back home and want to relive the experience! Happy new year!
Frances

Jan said...

Wow, Cosmo--Your photos are enthralling...I can only imagine what it must be like to be there in person. I have never before heard of this glass-work artist...but I'm glad I have now:) Frances' comment with the website link is also helpful to have. Have fun during the remaining days of your Arizona visit:) Have a lovely New Year in 2009!
Jan

tina said...

Those are so cool. This artist is featured on so many shows and seems to be quite the artist. I know I like his sculptures! Coincidentally I am also working on two glass artwork pieces for my garden. Love love love glass in the garden. Cosmo, you enjoy your visit to Arizona and we'll see ya later!

lisa said...

Gorgeous!

tina said...

P.S. Does he sell little mini sculptures for folks? Maybe you can bring one back for your garden? I love those cacti!

F Cameron said...

Stunning! I love the glass against the sky.

Thanks for sharing these views with us.

Cameron

Gail said...

Hi Cosmo, I do love his work...I have seen several shows but this one is fantastic! Nice to see him create a sculptural form for the desert. I do love your photos, they are beautiful, and want to thank Salix for getting you the camera! You are capturing lovely shots! Happy New Year and enjoy your last days on vacation! Gail

Tammie Lee said...

Ooh la la, love that pink sky! The glass is an interesting mix, love how the light comes through it.

vincibene said...

Wonderful pictures with great colors!

Rose said...

LOL, Cosmo, I just spent part of the afternoon organizing some of my own photos of the DBG for a new post:) It will be interesting to compare notes. Your shots of the sunset far outshine any of my photos, though!
Wasn't this a great place to visit? Before Christmas they also had a luminaria display after sunset--was that still going on? I went in the morning, so I didn't see it. Looking forward to seeing all your photos!

esnorway said...

Nice pics happy new year

Anonymous said...

Hi Cosmo,
Love the photos. There is beauty even in the desert. The light shining through is awesome.

Tarolino said...

Those works I would like to see in person. They look so interesting and intricate. The backdrop of the pink clouds absolutely crowns these captures and makes them very special. Thank you for taking time to post these.

Grammy said...

What a wonderful photo.
I love the blue sky this time of the year. And the landscape is awesome.
Happy new year.
Grammy
Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. USA

emily said...

great cotton candy clouds!

the phoenix valley is beautiful in the winter, isn't it?

angie {the arthur clan} said...

I love the contrast between the bright green plants and the beautiful sky behind them. Lovely shots for SWF!

Ana said...

Nice pics, and how unusual combination of tree and plant! Happy swf

Arija said...

Great shots, sometimes a flash for the foreground can be a real boon, it lights up the glass like jewels.

Monica the Garden Faerie said...

I stopped by via Prairie Rose--I love Chihuly and these sunset shots are absolutely fantabulous! I hope to visit DBG to see this exhibit!
~Monica

Roses and Lilacs said...

I love the colors you captured. Those pink clouds are a perfect background.
Marnie

Bek said...

They look great! I first thought they are plants until I read your description. It must be great seeing all those unusual (for VA) plants. I would love to go there one day..

walk2write said...

What a lovely experience your visit to the garden must have been, Cosmo! It's been fun seeing both yours and Rose's posts of the exhibit at the DBG. Maybe you could do a slideshow on your blog with some of the other pics you took.

Corner Gardener Sue said...

I didn't realize this was a sculpture until I read what you wrote, so for a second, I was wondering what that spiky thing was!

Awesome pics!

Happy New Year,
Sue

Jan said...

Hi Cosmo,
Are you back from your haven in AZ? Must be a culture shock to come back to VA! At least you are near the ocean. I miss that area so much! I'd rather live there than in No. VA! But, I make the most of it...no sense whining!!
Hope you are getting settled ok:)
Jan

jade said...

I didn't have a chance to walk the entire garden to see if there were any additional pieces of her work. Alexander