Issue 366  July 12th 2023

Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Louis Penfield House event to benefit Willoughby Historical Society

A three-part event featuring the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Louis Penfield House will be raising funds for the Willoughby Historical Society and their yearly events that highlight and introduce the public to the history in Willoughby and Lake County.

“I joined the Willoughby Historical Society last fall and they’re amping up all their activities throughout the year,” said Lori Diemer, who is spearheading the events. “Featuring Penfield was on their list of things they wanted to do this year. In January, I said I’ll take on this fundraiser. I’ve been to the Penfield House and I would love to help organize this kind of event for them, so that’s how I got involved.”

The three events as part of the fundraiser will allow people to revisit or discover the Penfield House, located at 2203 River Road in Willoughby Hills. A VIP reception event is scheduled for Oct. 20, and tickets are $59 per person.

Click for more details: news-herald.com  

The Frank Lloyd Wright Trail: Places To Live Learn Work & Worship

The Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wisconsin, announced dates for a new exhibit in the airport’s Art Court: "The Frank Lloyd Wright Trail: Places to Live Learn Work & Worship". The exhibit, which is free and open daily to the public, begins July 5th, 2023, and runs through January 28th, 2024. The Art Court is located in the main lobby of the DCRA terminal, in between terminal Door 3 and Door 4. Developed in collaboration with Tandem Press, Taliesin Preservation, and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, “The Frank Lloyd Wright Trail: Places to Live Learn Work & Worship“ celebrates the nine sites on the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail, which relaunched this year. Visitors to the Art Court at the Dane County Regional Airport will not only learn about the iconic architecture and visionary designs of Frank Lloyd Wright, but will also witness how Wright’s work inspired the design of the entire airport.

Spanning a seven-decade career and recognized as one of America’s most renowned architects, Frank Lloyd Wright created over 1,000 designs, with nearly half of them brought to life. Wisconsin proudly houses 43 of Wright's buildings, including nine public sites that are part of the 200-mile Frank Lloyd Wright Trail. This Trail, spanning eight counties across southern Wisconsin, pays homage to Wright in his home state, showcasing his vision of creating a uniquely American architecture in harmony with nature.

Each site featured in this exhibit embodies a place to live, learn, work, or worship, aligning with Wright's philosophy that buildings should be of their time, place, and purpose. Wright believed that architecture should “make life more beautiful, the world a better one for living in, and to give reason, rhyme, and meaning to life.” The exhibit invites you to explore each site along the Frank Lloyd Wright Trail and find inspiration in Wright's genius.

Click for more details: msnairport.com  

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's Conservation of the Senju Kannon Statue

The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation's Whirling Arrow blog recently presented a story written by Kyle Dockery on the first of three Buddhist statues which were recently conserved at the Midwest Art Conservation Center in Minneapolis.

"The serene seated figure is Senju Kannon (Thousand-armed Kannon), one of a number of manifestations of the Bodhisattva of compassion, also known as Avalokitesvara (India) and Guanyin (China). With many arms and multiple heads, Senju Kannon, although having attained enlightenment, remains behind to help the rest of us do the same.

While displaying the attributes of Kannon, this figure is unusual in that it is not one figure, but rather one composed of pieces from three different sculptures, the figure itself being one, with the lotus flower base and metal crown from two unrelated pieces. It seems some of the additional accompanying arms are also from other sculptures.

Taliesin's statue originally had 28 arms and 11 heads; after conservation 6 arms and 10 heads are intact, the decision being made to keep only those pieces which could be clearly matched to their original location and did not require building missing components from scratch. The central hands are in the gasshō gesture, symbolizing respect, gratitude and interconnectedness and the lower hands in the gesture of meditation, neither of which were in place before conservation, but both of which belong iconographically to the Senju Kannon figure."

Click for more details: franklloydwright.org  

Unleashing the Soul of Architecture: An Interview with Art Dyson, FARA

Architecture, the intangible art form that speaks to our senses, emotions, and consciousness, is a subject that defies easy definition. In a captivating Q&A session with Art Dyson, Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FARA), The Society of American Registered Architects' newsletter delves into the essence of architecture, the pursuit of meaningful design, and the quest for personal and professional fulfillment in the field.

According to Dyson, architecture transcends mere aesthetics and style. It is not about replicating a particular look or adhering to a specific trend; rather, it is a quality that touches the heart and inspires a dialogue with the soul. True architecture, as Dyson describes it, embraces the spirit of its occupants, fostering a greater awareness and a more beautiful life.

When asked how one can identify a great work of architecture, Dyson emphasizes that it is a self-evident experience. A great work of architecture rewards the senses, stimulates the imagination, and speaks directly to our emotions. It lifts the spirit and enhances our consciousness, leaving no need for explanations or justifications.

Click for more details: sara-national.org