Not only can Richmonders see the work of renowned glass-blower Chihuly at the VMFA, but users across the globe can create their own works of art via a new iPhone app.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and The Martin Agency have partnered to create an iPhone app that allows users to blow glass, virtually. The app coincides with the Chihuly exhibit underway at the local museum.

Users of the free iOS app, designed by London-based Unit9, choose from three Chihuly forms (Fiori, Macchia, and Seaforms) and then virtually blow the molten glass into a custom object. Developers hope the app will raise the profile of the famed artist among younger audiences.

“Chihuly has done for glass art what Fabergé did for decorative art—push the boundaries of a medium beyond what people thought possible,” said Joe Alexander, chief creative officer of The Martin Agency, in a statement. “We thought mobile technology was a perfect way to bring his achievement to life for people outside the museum’s traditional audience.”

Users can share their creations on Facebook or Twitter directly from the app, as well as post to a gallery of creations on the VMFA’s Facebook page.

The Chihuly exhibit at the VMFA runs through February 10th, 2013. Tickets are $20 ($16 for seniors, students, and individuals in groups of 10 or more).

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