Douglal Boyd...Taliesin '58
Additions and notes: 9:59 AM 8/19/04
Item 2 - Saw the movie, The Fountainhead in 1951 and decided to be an Architect.
Item 8 - I first became aware of Health Foods at Taliesin and I have steadily become free of disease as a result of this new awareness. Now, my diet is purely of Kosher Health Foods as much as possible when they are available. More important in both the physiological and spiritual sense, this came to abstinence from unclean meats as listed in Leviticus 11.
Item 11 - I began the flagstone around the fountain with a new apprentice who went along with my amateurish efforts which I had reason to regret after FLW saw it - but it was a valuable learning experience after all. I had the stones I had picked up off the desert floor at random laid out in order when Alvin W. walked by. I said, " What do you think?" Alvin replied, �Why don't you ask Mr. Wright?� When I did he said, �Use bigger stones.� He returned to the drafting room and I followed sitting down at my drafting table with some water colors I was doing while he commented further, obviously displeased with my selection of flagstones. He stood at his table a couple of rows ahead of mine (which was next to one of the doors opening to the pergola) and looking at me he proceeded to lay it on me. John "Jack" Howe came up to him as he continued. I thought of exiting the door but held fast and continued to do my water color. FLW said, �Get one of the apprentices who had worked with the stone masons in Wisconsin"; that turned out to be Roy Guderian. Finally, FLW pointed his cane at me and said to John, �There is a good boy�. John said, �I know it.� Roy and I went up into the mountains and got some suitable stones. As we proceeded, I made forms around the rose bushes that were planted there to protect them; FLW took notice and said approvingly, �Who made those?� Roy pointed to me and replied, �Douglas.� All's well that ends well.
Item 12 - One evening I was sitting at my table In back of the drafting room next to the door to the pergola. FLW came in and sat at the table on the aisle next to the fireplace and started working on a drawing. One of Olgivanna�s boys came in and said to him, �Mrs. Wright says the guests are here and dinner is ready.� Awhile later the boy came back and said, �Mrs. Wright says come to dinner.� It was no time to discuss my situation with him but I wonder why Olgivanna herself did not come to tell him and bring the guest with her since he was obviously absorbed in his work at the time � it made him look a little henpecked.
When I was in charge of maintaining the fountains at Taliesin West my efforts were winning favor with FLW. Then I was told to take out the lily pads and fish and to paint the bottom of the pools a sterile blue, to which I objected but docilely went along with it anyway. I am sure FLW was displeased with it.
Again, this was compounded by my suggestion and even after being told that he did not like this sport they assigned me the task of building a bas ketball court. I was just beginning this job, albeit with great reluctance, when FLW came storming out (apparently from Bruce's quarters); up close he looked very displeased. I simply motioned to my work with my out-stretched hand. He looked startled. I smiled brightly while he smiled back quizically. As we stood looking at each other I felt energy flowing between us - for a long time it seemed; then he turned slightly to one side, head and eyes downcast with a tragic, embarrassed or apologetic grin. I was startled. Then he turned and walked back just as briskly as he had come out, leaving me to my work. My enemies had deliberately set me up it seemed but the tables were turned to show the truth of the matter. FLW was a gentle, kindhearted man. After this silent encounter, I dropped my tools and went to pack my bags. After giving my tent site to another apprentice who had agreed to finish my plans for it, I departed Taliesin as I had planned to do from the start. I was satisfied and without any resentment. I was surprised and saddened to hear FLW died shortly afterward.
Item 14 - Concerning my situation and circumstances and reaction to the news of the dea th of FLW only a month after my departure from Taliesin... due to the disruption of my plans and schedule as explained in item 12, I returned to my mother's home in Texas and after a couple of weeks my mother and stepdad ordered me out of the house because I did not have a job or any money. I still had the old $50 Chrysler I had bought when I went to work for the architect Edward Varney in Phoenix so I started toward Mexico where I hoped to get on a yacht and sail around the world. When I got to the border I had to wait for a passport. I found a room in Brownsville and took a job with an architect in Harlingen. He had me working on a plan for a school basket ball court of all things. I got a letter from my mother one day with a newspaper clipping about the dea th of FLW. I shed a tear and prayed the prayer of Elisha, that I might receive a double portion of his spirit.
Items 1 & 2 - Note on Lincoln Logs added 11/18/16
updated 4/2/09