Catalog published to coincide with an exhibition held at the Tacoma Art Museum, Tacoma, Wash., May 21-Sept. 25, 2011

A lifetime of inspiration: Dale Chihuly and Tacoma / Rock Hushka -- The Northwest Room, The Boathouse, Seattle -- Dale Chihuly in Tacoma -- Selections from the Tacoma Art Museum collection

Dale Chihuly, the hugely popular artist who works in glass, celebrates his 70th birthday in 2011. Tacoma Art Museum, in his hometown, owns more than 150 examples of his work and is mounting an exhibition in his honor. Both this book and the exhibition showcase Chihuly's enduring interest in the arts and natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest, which are a major influence on his work. This book focuses on the importance of these influences. From Native American baskets to wool trade blankets, the gritty Tacoma of the 1960s, and Puget Sound, this exhibition and book follow Chihuly's development and accomplishments and how he grew and evolved while maintaining close ties to Tacoma. The essay by curator Rock Hushka traces Chihuly's creative process and the ways in which his abiding interest in the American Northwest enriches his work

Includes index