A documentary on the history of the world's premiere glass art school
Since 1971 the Pilchuck Glass School has been pushing the limits of a medium that can last centuries or shatter in an instant. Through the story of this small and highly influential school in the Pacific Northwest Pilchuck: A Dance with Fire identifies the remarkable convergence of visionary individuals, regional culture and fortunate timing to explain how and why Pilchuck and the studio glass movement has blossomed. This documentary tells the story of how a small art school surrounded by a 60-acre tree farm an hour north of Seattle became the premiere glass art center in the world. The story of the people and events that mark the past 43 years of Pilchuck history is told through firsthand accounts of the individuals who shaped the school and helped create the remarkable evolution from makeshift summer workshop to the most important international center for artists working in glass. Founded by iconic figure Dale Chihuly and a few art school friends in the counterculture days of the early 70s, the Pilchuck Glass School pushed the boundaries from its very beginnings.Because of the Pilchuck, Seattle now rivals Venice as the international studio glass capital of the world. Seattle is a city with one of the most vibrant, inventive cultures anywhere and because of the Pilchuck Glass School Seattle is a city that is crazy about glass. Pilchuck: A Dance with Fire visually tells this terrific story about art, learning and international collaboration.
