CHIHULY IN THE DESERT

from Sunseeker - Spring 2022 - West Coast Edition

TRAVEL SAFETY

CHIHULY IN

THE DESERT The famed sculptor’s works are on display at the Desert Botanical Garden and Taliesin West

By Teresa Bitler

Now through June 19, Allegiant passengers can appreciate the colorful glass artwork of Dale Chihuly at two of the Valley’s top attractions, the Desert Botanical Garden and Taliesin West. Time slots for a visit are available during the day, when shifting light adds to the pieces’ beauty, or at night, when they glow among the saguaro and desert plants. Advanced tickets are required.

DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN

Eleven glass installations along the garden’s trails plus a gallery inside Dorrance Hall showcase the talent of Chihuly, whose work is included in more than 200 museum collections worldwide. One of the most popular pieces is “Fiori Boat,” an actual antique boat from Chihuly’s personal collection overflowing with vibrant spheres, curling tails and glass sticks against the backdrop of Papago Buttes. In the gallery, guests can appreciate smaller works, like “Rotolo” with its entwined cylinders, as well as framed drawings.

Although viewing the pieces after dark is popular, daytime visits make touring the actual garden possible as well. While visiting during the day, Allegiant passengers can see more than 50,000 cacti and desert plants on the garden’s five trails and learn how people, flora, and fauna survive in the Sonoran Desert.

The “Fiori Boat” at the Desert Botanical Garden is a visitor favorite

The gallery inside Dorrance Hall at the Desert Botanical Garden displays Chihuly’s smaller works

Chihuly’s “Fire Amber Herons” complement Wright’s architecture at Taliesin West

Chihuly’s “Red Reeds and Niijima Floats” depending on the selected date. On less trafficked days, most Mondays through Wednesdays, tickets cost $29.95. On most Thursdays and Fridays, the price increases $5, and on weekends and holidays, tickets top out at $39.95. Because temperatures are ideal in March and April, admission to Chihuly in the Desert at the garden is $39.95 no matter the day or time. dbg.org

TALIESIN WEST

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Taliesin West is both the winter home of and school of architecture established by Frank Lloyd Wright. It’s also an incredible backdrop for Chihuly’s sculptures, which are woven into the landscape and on display inside the building. Highlights include “Alabaster and Amber Spire Towers” at the entrance and “Red Reeds and Niijima Floats,” featuring scarlet spires emerging from the Front Pond.

Allegiant passengers can choose between a guided tour of the property and a selfguided option. On the guided tour, a knowledgeable docent leads the group to the property’s most iconic sites, stopping at all of Chihuly’s artwork along the way. These 90-minute tours are offered every day from 10 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. and on Thursday nights through the end of May. In June, tour times are limited to morning due to the heat.

On the self-guided tour, visitors use a map to find the five outdoor installations. The self-guided option is only offered Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., through the end of May. Tickets for the self-guided option cost $35 while the guided tours cost $49. franklloydwright.org