Wright Chat

Sad news from T-West. Susan Jacobs née Lockhart, Levine has passed away at the age of 88. Susan’s parents built was is considered the first “Usonian” style house in Milwaukee. Subsequently she became a member of the Fellowship and participated fully in all activities at both Taliesin and Taliesin West. An accomplished graphic artist, she produced work in both glass and ceramics. More information as it becomes available. The ranks of those who had first hand, direct contact with FLW are getting smaller and smaller. R.I.P.

Shocked, disheartened and dismayed to learn of Susan's passing ... the first person I know who succumbed to Covid.    

Susan was a remarkable woman ... a consummate musician and artist ... hard-working, but always young, vital, and positive.   For several years she and I worked side-by-side in the office (and it wasn't always just work, either).   
For instance: one very cold winter day. alone together in the office at Taliesin West, when not even a blazing fire would warm our bones ... Susan mentioned the solution she and her young siblings organized, while living in the first Jacob's house ... whose experimental floor heating system wasn't tweaked sufficiently strong enough to withstand Wisconsin's bitter cold winters.  Racing breathlessly from one end of the house to the other, they eventually collapsed in a warm and happy heap in front of their fireplace

All alone, and giggling like a couple of kids, Susan and I tried the same thing that day ... racing together, back and forth in the small office, which left both us laughing and stimulated enough to finally get back to work without shivering.

We also occasionally worked together in the kitchen, ... especially on various Holidays ... particularly at Easter-time.  Once when they went away on Holiday,, Kenn and Susan offered to let me stay at their cottage, which I considered a great privilege.

Because it ultimately and radically changed my life, I'll never forget the night in late November 1970, , while working alone in the office at Taliesin West,   Looking up for a moment, I saw Susan sticking her head through the open doorway. to tell me the inexplicable news that the Japanese author Mishima Yukio had died that day ...  Later, searching through the day's newspaper I finally found the shocking story on an inner page, which ultimately put me on a long search for answers and understanding about his rash act of ritual seppuku.

N.B.  Of course I was with every expectation that I was looking forward to seeing Susan in November, during the Fellowship Reunion at Taliesin West.   I also wanted to share the fact that I've just learned ... that we were distantly related ... through her aunt, Barbara Harrison Wescott.   

After ten years living as an expatriate in Europe, Susan's uncle, author Glenway Wescott, together with Monroe Wheeler, and photographer George Platt Lynes (When We Were Three) permanently returned to the USA in mid-June 1934.   Later that year they enticed their good friend Barbara Harrison (Harrison of Paris) to visit them in NYCity, where she met and fell in love with Lloyd Wescott, Glenway's younger brother.   

I will be posting photos in the coming week to my blog site. Please note that the original post in this thread places Jacobs 1 in Milwaukee...it was in Madison, as is Jacobs 2.

Mark Hertzberg

I have just posted my photo remembrance of Susan to:

https://wrightinracine.wordpress.com/20 ... 1934-2022/

Mark Hertzberg

Never heard of her until this post.
Interesting for me to find out she was married to Neil Levine.
I enjoyed reading memories of her from RG.

Mark, there is something wrong with the site. It does not link to any photos.

Roderick and others,

I am sorry, but I took the post down.

Obituary from AZ Central
https://www.azcentral.com/obituaries/par063566

Obituary from the Middleton Times
http://www.middletontimes.com/articles/ ... s-lockhart

Does anyone know anything about the new book referenced in the obituary?
Wright's Two Jacobs Houses: Experiments in Modern Living
it does not seem to be listed on Amazon yet.

Paul Ringstrom wrote: ↑Fri Sep 09, 2022 12:58 pm https://www.azcentral.com/obituaries/par063566

Does anyone know anything about the new book referenced in the obituary?
Wright's Jacobs Houses: Experiments in Modern Living
it does not seem to be listed on Amazon yet.

Yes.
The book is mentioned here: See below:



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ISSUE 9 August 31st 2022

MONTHLY UPDATE


News And Updates
Summer is almost over and with it will also see the end of our summer fundraising campaign. The announced goal of the limited time event was to raise $10,000 to go towards our ongoing organizational needs, such as archival supplies, cataloging efforts, publishing costs, and more.

So far with the generosity of supporters, we've raised $5000 towards our goal! There's still about a month left of Summer before Autumn officially begins and we're halfway to the finish line. So we're asking everyone that can to really dig deep and help us cross the finish line successfully!

To sweeten the deal, if we make our goal of reaching at least $10,000, everyone who contributes will be sure to get one of the very first copies of our forthcoming publication, Frank Lloyd Wright's Two Jacobs Houses: Experiments in Modern Living, edited and with new essay by Wright scholar and noted author, Neil Levine. There are also additional essay contributions by all three Jacobs children (Susan, Elizabeth, and William) and historian Michael Desmond. It's set to be the definitive publication on the history and experience of living in these icons of American architecture.

So don't let this fail! Please make a tax-deductible donation of $100, $250, $500, $1000 or more at our website here and thanks!