After graduating high school in 1959, Chihuly renrolled at the college of Puget Sound, then transferred to the University of Washington to study interior design. In 1962, he dropped out of school to study art in Florence, Italy, then continued his education at Washington in 1963. When Chihuly returned to the states, he started learning how to fuse glass. In 1965, he started experimenting with glassblowing, and graduated with his Bachelors of Art. In 1966, Chihuly started at the University of Wisconsin and in 1967 received a Masters of Science in sculpture, the same year he enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design. In 1968 he got his Masters of Art in sculpture and received a Fulbright Fellowship to study glass in Venice, Italy. In 1971 Chihuly established the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington.

Traditional glass factory production focuses on symmetrical forms and vessels that are perfectly formed. In contrast, Chihuly's work is characterized by asymmetry and irregularity. He uses gravity and centrifugal force to let molten glass take shape organically. Chihuly has made many large-scale public sculptures.