Dale Chihuly's massive blown-glass sculpture "Cranberry and Clear Chandelier" came via full-size semi truck to Beaver Creek's Pismo Fine Art Glass gallery, and not one of its 317 pieces broke.

"It's amazing that, with something so delicate, everything arrived intact from Seattle," said gallery director Nicole Trevino. "The entire back of the gallery was filled with egg crates and boxes, and they had no idea where to put the semi."

Chihuly Studio artisans Karen Carston and Jeff Gerber spent two full eight-hour work days placing individual glass segments on an intricate, metal-wire armature. The sculpture replaces a previous Chihuly piece that sat in residence for six years before being shipped off for exhibition.

"It was really tough - near the top they had to get in there and continually add pieces to make it fuller," Trevino said. "It's rare to get to see the installation process - this is such a rare peek behind the scenes."

The blue "masculine" sculpture that kept Beaver Creek visitors company has been shipped off, and now visitors and residents will have to form new impressions of their sparkling new neighbor's intricate fuscia whorls, bulbs and spines. Is it an alien? A representation of love? Just a big ol' chunk of melted sand?

"The old one was thicker, wider and more masculine," Trevino said. "This one was built for us, and I like to think of it as our delicate, female version. I'll miss the old one, but I'm looking forward to having this one around for a while."

Attention Vail valley residents looking for the perfect dining room chandelier: If you've got $225,000 burning a hole in your pocket, this could be the eye-catching centerpiece you've been looking for. Just make sure you've got high ceilings.

Ted Alvarez can be reached at 748-2939, or talvarez@vaildaily.com.



Vail Daily, Vail, Colorado