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The Weissman Art Museum [Exterior]

To see how the work of Frank Gehry, FAIA, has evolved, look no further than the 2011 addition to his 1993 Weisman Art Museum, the latter of which won a citation in the 1992 P/A Awards program. The original building has four brick-clad, skylit galleries standing on top of a parking garage, which are entered from a road along the Mississippi River. The galleries, store, and offices overlooking the river and adjacent bridge are wrapped in a stainless steel façade of Cubist-like shapes that recall the fractured face of the cliff below, with the hand-drawn construction documents laying out each piece of the metal skin like dressmaker’s patterns. [Verbiage from: architectmagazine.com

  

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Kansas City Art Institute [Grounds]

"I’m an immersed art historian, not a trained one, but I lived in Glasgow, Scotland, and Chicago, Illinois, cities forever associated with the geniuses Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his contemporary, Frank Lloyd Wright, so I soaked them up. Their way of working, blending architecture, interiors, furnishings all together was the template for the ‘lifestyle design’ we see all around us, still as relevant today as it was in 1919  — the way you live and look, and the quality of your bespoke personal life. Whether it’s a KC Arts and Crafts bungalow, or chic London minimalism, it’s a style guide you can access to expand you into a 5-d universe of design applications unique to you. Surely, it’s a kit of parts, but how you carefully and very personally assemble them defines why you are you.." [Excerpt: Judith Fertig's interview with Tony Jones ]

  

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The Weissman Art Museum [Interior]

"The postmodern thing got exaggerated. It was a moment when nobody knew quite what to do. Modernism was becoming colder and colder. It was like Malevich.In 1913, Kazimir Malevich decided to make a painting of nothing. The result was Black Square, which over time has become more firmly grounded in physical reality thanks to the crackle of the pigment on its surface. He did the black square, and he didn’t know where to go from there, so he started doing dresses. That’s how it felt to me. The world had come to a standstill aesthetically, and we were so focused on getting things done, getting people housed. Then all of a sudden, the coldness, the inhumanity of buildings — that lifeless feeling — hit a rock. And, like Malevich, turned to decoration. Because that was easy." [Verbiage from: Justin Davidson's Interview with Frank Gehry]

  

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Abandoned Town

The only building open was a museum, surrounded by abandonment.  Small towns without life & functional utility aren't unusual; they exist.      What made this particular part of Freeport, TX unique was the delightful central grass, fountain, benches, and table areas.  The grounds appeared to be well cared for. 

I walked into the museum and found two younger folk manning the entrance desk.  I asked them, "What happened to the town?"  The question took them by surprise, as indicated by the stare on their faces and lack of an immediate response.

"New areas were developed." 

  

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A Mile Radius from...

...It's almost too much.

Started walking away from Frank Gehry's, Disney Concert Hall .

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Disney Concert Hall

As a fan of architect, Frank Gehry, I necessitate the time to stalk around, eyes fixed on his sculptures. His solutions [and dilemmas] he creates are hypnotically elegant and devoid of cliche.

The rhythm dance of his curved and flat planes has no need for the ornamental. Weather I'm focused on the his architecural forest or the trees of its foundation, I'm in my jam.

Aside from its myriad narratives, it's a reminder that engineers and software developers are a viable solution to costly trial and error proesses.

Design introducing itself to construction.

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Gulf of Mexico

At 6:30am the waves are swirling within a calm, as ships cross back and forth. The sand is firm, the tide is out. Lander, our Great Pyrenees, walks confidently in the water with waves crashing his side; the thunder steering our attention to the lightening sparking in nimbus cloud gradients.

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Farmers Markets

Originally I gravitated to farmers markets to listen to free live music. That certainly hasn't changed; if there's music, it'll have my attention. However, farmers markets now encapsulate unique diversities of people, aromas, food production ideas, and all that isn't grounded in overt commercialisms. The work of the farmers and vendors inspires...me!

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Gila Cliff Dwellings

Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument is a U.S. National Monument created to protect Mogollon cliff dwellings in the Gila Wilderness on the headwaters of the Gila River in southwest New Mexico.

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