Material Reminders..

Friend Robin's mere mention of architect Frank Lloyd Wright got me all wound up making exclamations like 'Gadzooks!!' and 'Zoot Alors!!'. Why you might ask? Well, cuz in my humble estimation he is the Einstein of architecture, that's why. He was a revolutionary, a terrific mind who applied himself for a lifetime to his craft. I've read a couple of biographies on him and a variety of books describing his various projects. And of course he is famous for the design details which where integral to his overall vision for specific buildings.
Thus, pictured above is one of his designs in stained glass. I originally saw this reproduction in Minneapolis while on a training week down there. It was in a store called 'the Museum Shop' in Mall of the America's. Much as I wanted it at the time I made myself get clear of the store before heading for the airport and home. Not too long afterward while wandering Toronto's Eaton Centre I spied another Museum Shop and wondered if......perhaps they carried the same products???? They did and I walked away with this one - couldn't resist it twice. You can find one for yourself on-line at a variety of sites. They're beautiful !!!!!!!

Gawd awful picture but, this a FLW styled clock with similar (but less) detail to the stained glass piece. Mission style, pendulum works, birch wood. I happened on this at an auction several years ago and stole it at $35; I see them currently advertised for sale at $160 on-line. Also incredibly beautiful !!!!!

Nothing to do with FLW but I wanted to show the stained glass work on it. The figure is a dog waiting by the fence for it's master. It always reminds me of the 'RCA Victor' dog for some reason. This was also an auction buy; can't recall what I might have paid for it but a couple of years later I saw another just like it and would have bought it except the lamp support was broken and unfixable.

All of this seems sort of silly as I'm not really a materially motivated person but there are certain possessions that I appreciate and hold pretty dear. Something which I rarely look at anymore is my collection of art, photography, music, and architecture books - but I wouldn't feel quite right if they weren't here and available to me. Strange........but true.

Now don't get me started about Georgia O'Keefe's landscape work or Frederick Remington's sculptures. (Got a reproduction of one of those at auction, too.)... or I'll be here all day.