Photo #230: Heart Dish

It's been a busy day! I started out the day working at Huntington at Jordan Creek. It's a nice change of pace, and I'll be going back tomorrow. I also spent a few hours at Caribou Coffee, working on things for school. I took a few pictures today, but I wasn't happy with any of them. I took this photo, when I was at Cedar Rock in July. This beautiful heart shaped dish was in the living room of that Frank Lloyd Wright house.

Photo #221: If You Give This Teacher a New Mousepad . . . .

If you give this teacher a new mousepad, she'll want a new mouse that coordinates with it better.

I picked up this Frank Lloyd Wright designed mousepad when I was at Taliesen. It is based on one of his glass designs. It bothers me that my red mouse clashes with the colors. I probably won't get a new mouse though, unless this one quits working.

Photo #194: Frank's Flowers

The incredible thing about the Frank Lloyd Wright homes that we visited were the beautiful surroundings. Both were located on the brow of a hill. Cedar Rock was nestled in among the trees with a view of the Wisconsin River. Taliesin was perched above the rolling hills of farmland and pastures. Both had beautiful gardens. With all the windows, this natural beauty became an extension of the rooms.

Photo #193: Simplicity and Versatility

I am still thinking about my vacation and enjoying the many photos I took. One of the things that impressed me, when I entered the Walter House at Cedar Rock, was the beautiful use of brick and wood. In the entry hall was this great combination of brick openings with light reflected through simple art glass. I also saw some of the colorful art glass displayed at Taliesin. What could be more simple than that?

The furniture as well as the home was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Furniture was designed to be flexible and utilitarian. Many pieces could be easily moved to transition small tables into a long tables that could serve any number of diners. Seating was also easily moved. Everything was designed with function in mind, as well as beauty. I'm not so sure how comfortable some of it would be, however.

Photo #192: Taliesin Sculptures

One of the great things you see at Taliesin is the art work. Frank Lloyd Wright went to Japan in 1905 with the Ward Willits family and he designed a home for the Ward Willits family in Oak Park, Illinois. Do you notice the name? It is even spelled the same as ours, but unfortunately as far as we know he was not a relative. After this trip he began collecting Japanese art, and you can definately see the Japanese influence in his architecture.

There are many Japanese block prints, screens and sculptures throughout the house, as well as other art work. Here are some that caught my eye.

Photo #191: The Wisconsin River

These are my photos for Saturday, July 10th.

This trip to see homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright was also a camping trip, though we were not exactly roughing it. We traveled in Jacci's motor home, which is a Pleasure Way. We stayed at the Wisconsin Riverside Resort, and our space was right on the river. You can see the beautiful view right behind the motor home. The campground is located in Spring Green, Wisconsin, just down the road from Taliesin and the House on a Rock. While we toured Taliesin, we only saw the House on a Rock from a distance.

Fortunately Jacci purchased a screen house before we went, because the mosquitoes were ferocious. The campground has cabins for rent, a swimming pool, restaurant and bar, and wifi. Camping has changed a lot from back when our family started with just a few sleeping bags and a tent.

Photo #190: Taliesin

These photos are for Friday, July 9, 2010.

After visiting Cedar Rock on Thursday, Jacci and I continued our drive northeast to Spring Green, Wisconsin. Our ultimate goal was to visit Taliesin, the summer home of Frank Lloyd Wright. Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Richland Center, Wisconsin in 1867, and spent his summers at the home of his uncle, James Lloyd Jones who farmed outside of Spring Green.

Taliesin is Welsh for "shining brow" and it is located on the brow of the hill. It was designed with three wings which included living quarters, an office, and farm buildings. Wright began building the home in 1911, following the scandal of his affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney, who was the wife of his client, Edwin Cheney. Frank left his wife, and moved to Taliesin with Mamah after Christmas 1911.

We were actually seeing Taliesin III, because the living quarters have been burned twice. The first was while Frank was away from home working. On August 15, 1914 a disgruntled servant set fire to the house and murdered 7 people with an axe, including Mamah and her two children. After this tragedy, the living quarters were rebuilt, and again burned following a lightning strike on April 22, 1925.

So we were seeing the third building of the Taliesin living quarters. Wright and his third wife, Olgivana lived here throughout their lives. What were originally the farm buildings have been transitioned into living quarters for apprentices and other artists, and people still live in these areas. Wright purchased the surrounding 600 acres of farmland and the view is fantastic.

We were not allowed to take photos inside the house, but it is filled with original furniture and built-ins also designed by Wright. Of special interest for my sister, who is not only an appraiser, but an art history major as well, was the Japanese art. Frank Lloyd Wright had traveled to Japan and was a collector of Japanese art. Once you know that, you can see that influence in his architecture as well.

We spent two hours touring the house. It was hot and steamy, but wonderful! We had a fantastic time.

Photo #189: Cedar Rock

These are my photos for Thursday, July 8th. My sister and I are taking a short vacation, just the two of us. We are taking a tour of some of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Iowa and Wisconsin.

We stopped on Thursday at Cedar Rock, The Walter House. This house was built overlooking the Wapsipinicon River near Quasqueton, Iowa. It was begun in 1948 and completed in 1950. Wright not only designed the house, but all the furniture inside, as well. He also designed the neighboring boathouse and fire counsel. The Wapsipinicon River is currently flooded, so you couldn't get all the way down to the boathouse. Cedar Rock is an example of the simplified style that Frank Lloyd Wright designed called Usonian. The Walters lived here until their deaths in the 1980s. The house has been well maintained, and is almost unchanged from the way it was when it was built.

The photos are from top to bottom: the front of the house, the back of the house, inside the living room, and the patio off the living room. Like many of his homes, the house is built on the "brow" of the hill. I absolutely love the windows, and as you stand in the living room, you feel like the living room extends into the out of doors. The views were breath taking.