Asian Sculpture in Frank Lloyd Wright’s Garden © 2008 Bo Mackison
Taliesin, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Home and Studio in Spring Green, Wisconsin, has several gardens also designed by Wright. (If you know much about FLW, perhaps you know that Wright designed everything connected with his homes. He was not only the architect, he also designed the furniture, rugs, and everyday house implements from dishes to lamps. And some of his clients even allowed him to design their clothing, including magnificent dresses, so that they would FIT into his vision of his perfect environment. (Susan Dana from Springfield IL was his favorite client because she agreed to any of his ideas AND funded them promptly!) Hmm. Maybe Frank was a bit of a control freak in addition to all his creativity and genius.
Wright’s Crane Sculpture from Japan in Taliesin’s Garden © 2008 Bo Mackison
Anyway, Wright brought thousands of art objects and artifacts from Asia to the US, most notably from Japan, and used them throughout many of his homes, in his designs and in his gardens. These two cranes are in the garden near his bedroom in Taliesin. He could open his bedroom door which was set into a wall of framed windows, take a dip in his 8 foot deep plunge pool, and then wander a bit through his flowers and sculptures.
It really would have been an insomniac’s solution – a dip in a cool pool and then a midnight stroll in the gardens. I’d much prefer that option to the one I take nearly every night when I find myself awake, lying awake and watching the ceiling.
Do you think FLW would mind a new occupant?
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Really nice images. For a moment – I thought the birds were real. I think Wright had the right cure for insomnia. How much better can it get than that?
The cranes (and their setting) are elegant!
I really like these cranes! I would love, love, love to incorporate many of FLW’s ideas/philosophy in implementing design for the whole of house to yard… maybe some clothing too. Why not? How interesting and resonate one would be with one’s creativity and art to do so! A very creative and expansive man he was. Of course, I’m a huge fan of FLW. 🙂
I love FLW, too. I just came from visiting his Dana – Thomas House in Springfield Il where I missed the last tour of the day by about a minute and was refused admission. Grrrrr! But I took 40 pics of the exterior so all was not lost. Though it will take me another year to get the opportunity to tour the interior, so I am sad. I really did want to see the display of dresses.
As for designing clothing to wear in a FLW interior – OK, Anna, I concede that if it IS FLW, maybe it’s OK… 🙂
Frank Lloyd Wright special interest on Japanese art..Thanks for the info and the beautiful pictures on this series about Taliesin.
FLW is awesome. Nice shots & commentary.