The Cultural Landscape Foundation Board Meeting & Excursion

On Wednesday and Thursday, September 24^th and 25^th, Oehme, van Sweden Principal Eric Groft attended the The Cultrual Landscape Foundation’s Fall Board Meeting at the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona.

Before the meeting, board members were allowed to tour the Museum which at that time featured a wonderful exhibit on Paper! that explores the various ways that artists from around the world have long utilized paper in their work.

The next day, the excursion included the Arizona Department of Transportation “ Arts Project” featuring how ADOT is working with communities, landscape architects, architects and and artists to produce beautiful bridges, railings, walls, native plantscapes and gravel paintings on the ground to provide identity to the communities and visual interest to the passerby. The highlight of the morning was a tour of Taliesen West in the foothills of the valley where Frank Loyld Wright lived, worked and taught for many winters in the desert. After lunch, the group toured Cosanti and watched the bronze bells being made.

While there, the group had the unique opportunity to meet Paulo Solieri, founder of Cosanti and disciple of Frank Loyld Wright. This was followed by a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Price House, which Eric felt was by far the best house he has visited that Wright had designed. Its high ceilings, perfect proportions, and amazing built-in’s and high art craftsmanship are all set high on a cliff above the desert floor. The day was capped by a tour of the Biltmore Resort and Spa.