Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington in 1941. He is best known for his large scale abstract blown glass.

He received a B.A. degree from the University of Washington at Seattle and an M.F.A. in 1968 from the Rhode Island School of Design. From 1967 to 1980, he was Chairman there of the Department of Glassblowing. In 1971, he was a co-founder of the Pilchuck Glass Center in Stanwood, Washington near Seattle.