Glassblower takes on Chihuly over lawsuit

SEATTLE – A Redmond glassblower, who was sued last year by international art-glass star Dale Chihuly, is challenging Chihuly’s art and the public’s impression of how it’s created.

In a counterclaim filed in U.S. District Court Friday, Robert Kaindl contends Chihuly is not involved in conceiving, creating, designing or even signing a “substantial number” of the works that bear his name.

Kaindl also contends that Chihuly sometimes buys glasswork from other artists, removes their names and then puts his own trademarked name on it.

“We aren’t going to comment on any of this,” Chihuly publicist Janet Makela told the Seattle Times.

Chihuly sued Kaindl and one of Chihuly’s former glassblowers, Bryan Rubino, in October, accusing them of copying his designs and selling “knockoffs” at several local galleries.

Friday’s court filings were the first substantial response to Chihuly’s charges that Kaindl and Rubino schemed to make money copying the famous artist’s designs.

Chihuly’s studio has acknowledged that the artist does not blow glass himself, but the concepts, designs and final aesthetic are his, Chihuly and his associates have repeatedly said.

Kaindl’s countersuit challenges that claim, noting that when Rubino was blowing glass for Chihuly as a contractor, Chihuly “would often ask Mr. Rubino to ‘come up with something’ for Dale Chihuly to review and purchase” so that he could sell it through Chihuly Inc.

Kaindl’s most serious charge against Chihuly is the allegation that people other than the glass artist sign his name to a “substantial number” of glass pieces.

In a recent interview with the Seattle Times, Chihuly insisted he alone signs the work.