We sat on a patio area admiring nature while we waited for our tour to begin.
The backside of the studio building.
The front side of the studio building.
Frank Lloyd Wright loved America and democracy. He strived to influence a uniquely American architecture that was not based on foreign models (European, Roman, Egyptain, Grecian, etc.). Wright believed that architecture and nature should enhance one another. He never designed a building without "walking the land" first. He once said, "I go to nature everyday for inspiration in the day's work. I follow in building the principles which nature has used in its domain."
Go back to the first photo- the one with the hummingbird. What geometric shape do you see in nature in that photo? Now scroll down through the next two photos. Do you see the triangles? Look at the colors in nature and the colors used in the building and the landscaping. Look at the materials used in the building. It is that communion with nature that makes his buildings both timeless and beautiful.
Taliesin West was Wright's "winter home" which he called "camp." It was where he and his students could experiment, getting their hands dirty as they worked on projects. Being "green" before it was popular, he encouraged his students to use local natural resources in their designs. In the desert, they crafted cement slabs made in wooden frames to use as building walls, fence walls, or planter sides. They added large rocks they quarried as they cleared the land for building to the cement to give it texture and color.
Top: Our tour began in Mr. Wright's study. Notice the abundance of natural light.
Bottom: The dining hall (glass portion) and kitchen. Notice the three holes in the wall for ventilation and the bell that was rung for meals.
Mr. Wright (his wife called him Frank, EVERYONE else called him "Mr. Wright") often invited other artists- painters, sculptors, writers, actors, musicians as well as architects- to visit Taliesin West and be immersed in nature as well as exchange ideas. Carl Sandburg, Marilyn Monroe, Arthur Miller and Georgia O'Keeffe are but a few of the rich and famous that visited the Wrights at Taliesin West.
Three years before Mr. Wright's death in 1959, sculptor Heloise Crista made of bust of him, her first recognized sculptural work. Two decades later she became a serious sculptor; some of her work is displayed on rotating stands in the Sculpture Garden. My favorite is The Door on the bottom right.
There are several theaters at Taliesin West. We saw the "small" one (which isn't all that small!) for more intimate gatherings. It was used to store the canvas awnings and coverings during the summer months when the Wrights headed east to Taliesin in Wisconsin. We also saw a larger theater for a crowd of 50 or so that Mr. Wright designed to be acoustically perfect (or almost!)- we could hear our tour guide on the stage without amplification even when she turned her back to us! And there is an even larger theater/auditorium that seats about 100 people.
This tiny "stage" was on the side of the largest auditorium. It looked like it would be used for puppet/marionette shows. And it reminded us of Disneyland... and one of their artists, Mary Blair, who designed the art work in the "It's a Small World" ride bringing modern art to Disneyland.
Our tour guide did a superb job of bringing Frank Lloyd Wright to life, helping us to understand the man. But it was his "camp", Taliesin West itself, that told the story of his philosophies and ideals. The buildings are beautiful and complement the grounds. And the grounds are beautiful and complement the buildings. And that was exactly what Frank Lloyd Wright was trying to achieve.
Thumb Up or Down: Up!!!
Miles Round Trip: 60.3 miles
Miles To Date: 4185.4 miles
Percent of List Completed: 40%
Date of This Trip: March 31, 2012
I am glad it receives your thumbs up! I would like to go and was disappointed when it disappeared from the culture pass list. One day...
ReplyDeleteI love that you've taken "one day" by the horns and are doing so much of your list so quickly!
Being on the Culture Pass was a great deal; their tour prices are a little steep but are good tours. Maybe they will run a Groupon deal!
DeleteI have found that I work well under pressure and with a deadline. Otherwise, I'm much too like Scarlett (of "Gone With the Wind" fame)- "I'll think about that tomorrow!" Thanks for the encouragement!!
Very cool, we'll have to take Caleb!! :)
ReplyDeleteHe will LOVE it!!!
Delete