Early Life and Education

Dan Dailey was born in 1947 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts) in 1969. Dailey then studied under Dale Chihuly at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), becoming Chihuly’s first graduate student. He earned his Master of Fine Arts degree from RISD in 1972. In 1972-1973, Dailey was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to study glass at the Venini Factory in Murano, Italy.

Teaching and Studio Work

Dailey is Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston, where he founded the Glass Department in 1973. He taught there until 2012. Dailey has also taught at numerous other institutions, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, RISD, Pilchuck Glass School, and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. He has given lectures and workshops throughout the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Since 1970, Dailey has simultaneously produced sculpture and functional art, with an emphasis on lighting, working primarily in glass and metal. Every piece begins with a drawing, and his work depicts human character and the world we inhabit, with familiar forms rendered iconic. Dailey incorporates metal into many of his glass sculptures, pushing the boundaries of traditional glass composition.

Dailey has been an independent artist/designer for Cristallerie Daum in France for over 30 years, producing limited edition pâte de verre sculptures. He has also worked with other companies like Fenton Art Glass, Steuben Glass, and Waterford Crystal.

Exhibitions and Awards

Since 1971, Dailey has participated in over 300 group, juried, and invitational exhibitions. He has had numerous solo museum and gallery exhibits, including a major retrospective at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in 1987.

Notable awards and honors:

• 2024 Smithsonian Visionary Award
• 2001 Masters of the Medium Award, James Renwick Alliance
• 2001 Art of Liberty Award, National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia
• 2000 Libensky Award, Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards & Winery
• Honorary Lifetime Membership, Glass Art Society
• Fellowships from the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts
  
  

Public Collections and Commissions

Dailey’s work is represented in over 50 museum and public collections around the world, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Renwick Gallery; and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

He has completed more than 70 architectural commissions for corporate headquarters, hospitals, municipalities, a courthouse, a performing arts center, and private residences. These include large cast glass murals, bronze and glass lamps, sculptural tables, railings, gates, doors, mirrors, and chandeliers.

In summary, Dan Dailey is a renowned and influential figure in contemporary glass art. His innovative incorporation of metal, unique graphic style, and exploration of the human character have made him a prominent artist in the history of studio glass over his 40+ year career.

A brief analysis of Dan Dailey’s work and style

Dan Dailey is known for his unique style that blends glass and metal to create both sculptural and functional art pieces. His work often depicts human characters and familiar forms in a symbolic, iconic way. A few key aspects of his artistic approach:

• Incorporation of metal: Dailey pushes the boundaries of traditional glass art by frequently incorporating metal elements into his glass sculptures. This sets his work apart from many other glass artists.
• Graphic, symbolic style: Rather than aiming for realism, Dailey renders figures and forms in a way that reveals emotions and thoughts. His pieces have a distinct graphic sensibility and Art Deco quality. He uses simplicity of form and high contrast to create classic symbols representing types of people or essential character qualities.
• Narrative and humor: Dailey’s work often contains elements of storytelling and humor to comment on human nature and society. He aims to capture the essence of various moods and actions in a witty, expressive way.
• Functional lighting: In addition to pure sculpture, Dailey has a strong focus on creating functional art, especially illuminated pieces and lamps. Lighting design is a core part of his artistic practice.
• Drawings as foundation: Every piece Dailey makes begins with a drawing. Drawing and two-dimensional design are fundamental to his process and final products, giving his glass works a graphic, almost illustration-like quality.
  
  

Overall, Dailey has developed a highly recognizable and influential style over his long career. By blending glass, metal, drawing, symbolism and narrative, he creates art that is both visually striking and emotionally resonant. His work is often humorous yet also insightful in its exploration of the human experience.