Space is the Breath of Art

    ....said Frank Lloyd Wright once..... I am constantly in awe of what he could see, feel, then design.  Truly visionary and genius.

The more I see of his work the more I appreciate, art, design, architecture, space and light and how living in a home should be seen through his eyes.  

I have now seen more than two dozen of his designs in person and just when I think I have seen his best, I find something new and interesting and mostly I feel something inside that makes my heart jump and completely captures my imagination.

I just saw Hollyhock House in LA.  It had been closed for a long time and just opened a few months ago.  I have been wanting to see this one for a long time.  I have been fascinated with his Pre-Columbian, Mayan-esque designs in California.  He only did a few but they are all here and this is the only one that is open to the public

I have never seen LA with bluer skies and more  perfect weather.  From Olive hill, where Hollyhock House is built, you can see Griffiths Observatory, the Hollywood sign and an incredible view of downtown LA.  It is a very isolated and calm space in the middle of busy Hollywood.  There is a wide panoramic view that is unique.

The attention to detail was simply stunning. As per normal, I found myself wanting to spend a long time looking at everything  He was so intentional about how people should live and feel in his homes. He literally wanted to control the way you felt while being there.

 

You never know what you are going to find in his homes, but you can count on feeling things as much as you see them.  The way he sculpts light and weaves it and its shadows throughout a home is incredible.

The creativity and thoughtful way he incorporated the design of the Hollyhock flower, the favorite of the owner, throughout the exterior and interior.  Incredibly beautiful.

He creates connection through his design.  The motivation isn't the lines and shapes, it is the humans living within and how they related to each other in day to day life.  He connects people to people in his designs.  He had an innate sense of this.  I love this about him.

He specializes in making your eye follow long lines and creates incredible interest to explore more... to follow, reflect and then look back to see an entire different perspective.

I love that, looking at different angles in his homes.  They are unending.

He has helped me look at life from different angles as well.  I knew art was inspiring, but I never understood how architecture could do the same..... but it has....

The inner garden is amazing.  There are steps that lead up unto the roof where there are multiple levels.  I found myself feeling like a kid at the prospect of playing hide and seek with my brother running around the roof had we grown up there.

Incredible nostalgia for childhood swept me several times during this visit. 

 Oh! How I longed to run up the stairs and hope to see JJ beckoning me to a cool hiding spot he just found!

I am grateful for the artists part in this world.  I believe everyone developed talents and abilities before we ever came to earth.  Yes, we did live before we were born, in a spiritual state.  You were you and so was I.  We learned and we grew.  We worked at and acquired talents that we would then use here during out mortal lives.  

Before now, then.... that was our school to learn, and here, this world,  was our palette to apply what we learned up to that point.   To paint, draw, design, write, run, sing, throw, think, love and serve.

I like to think that God helped us understand what our talents are, and now we have the chance to master them here.  Why?  Maybe it was so we could beautify and inspire this world..... 

Has there ever been a time when the world needed more inspiration than now?  No, I don't think so....

We all need spiritual rejuvenation.... a wake up call to remember who we are, why we are here and to use our gifts and talents to contribute, each in our own small way, to lift others.  To cause hearts to stir, lumps to form in throats, bring chills to the surface, to quicken heartbeats and to remember why we do this...... because it is what God would do and as we do what He might do, we realize our full potential, become united with a greater purpose and our hearts expand to love more deeply and profoundly.  

FLW is an architect of the soul.  I am grateful for his talents and the way he painted his particular palette, all in a way for others to enjoy and experience. I can honestly say, that in every single house and building I have visited, I always, always, always, leave with my spirits lifted and am better for having experienced his talents.  It is a blessing and I cannot wait to see what he is designing now....

Getting chills all over again.....