TACOMA, WA.- In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Museum of Glass and the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, Museum of Glass will welcome artist Dale Chihuly back to the Hot Shop for a special one-day appearance, Sunday, September 23, 2012. Chihuly was the first Visiting Artist to work in the Hot Shop in July, 2002 as part of the Museum’s grand opening weekend.

Chihuly will bring with him artists Joey Kirkpatrick, Flora C. Mace, James Mongrain and Joey DeCamp . The team will create Soft Cylinders, one of Chihuly’s series.

“We are so pleased to have Dale back at MOG to help us celebrate our 10th anniversary,” states Museum of Glass Executive Director Susan Warner . “His career has paved the way for so many young artists—in fact, he made a special request to ensure students from the Hilltop Artists program have the opportunity to come and see him and his team working in the Hot Shop. Because of Dale, the Pacific Northwest has become a major glass center.”

The Museum will be open extended hours for the event, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Timed tickets for the Hot Shop demonstrations will be issued; each session will last approximately 50 minutes. The special event tickets are $17 general, $5 for Museum of Glass members (includes museum admission and a timed ticket for one demonstration). No discounts apply. Members will be given first priority to Hot Shop access. Advance tickets are available for purchase beginning Thursday, August 31 at museumofglass.org or at the admission desk.

The demonstrations will also be streamed live on the Museum’s website: museumofglass.org/glassmaking/live-from-the-hot-shop. Chihuly and team will also be working during the Museum’s annual fundraiser, Red Hot Party & Auction on Saturday, September 22.

Dale Chihuly is credited with revolutionizing the Studio Glass movement and elevating the perception of the glass medium from the realm of craft to fine art. He is renowned for his ambitious architectural installations around the world, in historic cities, museums and gardens. Chihuly’s work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Corning Museum of Glass. Major exhibitions include Chihuly Over Venice (1995-96), Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem (1999), Garden Cycle (2001–12), de Young Museum in San Francisco (2008) and the Museum of Fine Arts , Boston (2011). Chihuly Garden and Glass opened at Seattle Center in 2012.