A lawsuit brought by glass artist Dale Chihuly against a former employee raises “intriguing questions about what makes any artist’s work unique, what qualifies as inspiration and what defines a mere knock-off.” The ex-employee’s dealer “expects the suit to cost him $1.6 million. He says the suit already has cost him a lot of business, including a cancelled deal with Costco stores to produce a special line of sea shapes for $550 a pop.”