Explore some of PEM’s inspiring collections from the comfort of your own home at pem.org. Come take a look around one of our permanent galleries, Fashion & Design. There you’ll find a beautiful yellow and gold chandelier by Dale Chihuly, an American sculptor who creates wonders out of glass that are often inspired by nature. Chihuly’s chandeliers are constructed from hundreds of individually blown glass pieces that he combines to make intricate compositions. These chandeliers interact with light and space and have a dialogue with the natural forms in their environment. What natural forms do the shapes in this chandelier remind you of? In this project, you will create your own Chihuly nature-inspired hanging chandelier out of plastic recyclables!
Supplies
- Plastic recyclables (such as water bottles and clear drink cups)
- Paint or markers
- Scissors
- String or yarn
Instructions
Step 1: Collect your plastic recyclables. The best items for this project are water or soda bottles, clear plastic drink cups and/or cup lids.
Step 2: Add some color. Paint the outside of your items or color them with markers. Be creative with your colors, and consider the color wheel when choosing the combination.
Step 3: Cut your plastic items into spirals. Cut the bottom off your bottle or cup and then begin to spiral cut the bottle from the bottom to the top. If you are cutting a plastic lid, start the spiral cut working from the outside towards the middle.
Step 4: Form your sculpture. Use string or yarn through the center of your spiraled plastic to join the spirals in an interesting and Chihuly-inspired way! Remember to consider nature-inspired forms when sculpting your artwork.
Explore more of our Drop-in Art Activity video tutorials on our YouTube channel.
Show Us!
We want to see your chandeliers. Share your photos online using #PEMpod or #peabodyessex.