A bunch of friends, at the Hollyhock house in Hollywood. In the middle, Harry, our friend and docent and lover of all things Frank Lloyd Wright. What a font of information!
Today Barnsdell park is owned by the city, the property is much smaller than when Aline Barnsdell bought the property in the 1910s. thankfully the home still stands, although in Good Wright Fashion – it leaks. He may have been a design genius, but his use of materials – have caused problems for almost all of his houses – in the maintenance dept.
Another famous Wright house is across the valley to the Hollywood HIlls, the Ennis house, used in the movie Blade runner, as well as others. It is privately owned and the owner has no interest in visitors – oh well.
FLWs’ graphic design of the Hollyhock flower, this is outside, other iterations can be seen inside as well.
There were a few Hollyhocks blooming, in Spring the area will be full of them. You can see how the base of the plant is thick with leaves, and as it grows tall, it narrows to the flowers.
The day before we went was a very rainy day, we had clouds and cold left, but no rain. A cloudy sky is a very interesting backdrop. This building was built like a Mayan Temple. FLW thinking that Spanish colonials are not indigenous to the area. Why he thought Mayan Temples are – I don’t know. Along the rood line he had the walls at an 82 degree angle, not perfectly straight but not at a sharp angle.
A fountain without water. Joel with a slightly different iteration of the Hollyhock.
The front of the house, not the entrance, that is off to the side, but this is the living room, the music room and library – with gorgeous view. At the time this was built there was very little around, now, everything is very built up around this hill.
A beautiful inner courtyard. notice steps going up to different outdoor patios on the roofs. Some of us joked about the human sacrifices – it is a Mayan Temple after all.
You can see the stylized Hollyhock next to a real one.
From the courtyard looking into a hall way, there are so many different stained glass windows here. Mostly very geometric and quiet, and yes, made and restored by Judson Studio, I’m hoping to arrange a visit there soon.
Next up – the interior.
Leah