Douglas Newby Insights - Page 30
Architects of Dallas Wards
Legacies History Conference at Dallas Hall of State concluded with the architects of 14-1 City Council configuration. Diane Ragsdale recalled thousands who protested Queen Elizabeth and Mayor Strauss arriving for dinner. Marvin Crenshaw, a plaintiff that sued the City for more minority representatives, had the most insightful commentary, using Mayor Starke Taylor as an example of why it was essential to keep City elections in May. He said Mayor Taylor was a Republican and had different positions, but they could come to an agreement on issues as he was not beholden to the Republican Party. National politics did not prevent accomplishments in Dallas. The panel’s overriding theme of 14-1 was not about minority participation. It was about electing low income representatives. Chris Luna quoted Al Lipscomb, “Might be my color but is not my kind,” a sentiment reiterated by rest of panel. When it was pointed out that minorities were elected in majority white at-large districts and never in majority white single-member districts, the panel said that didn’t matter. Minorities elected in at-large districts were supported by rich white people. Afterwards I had a nice conversation with Diane Ragsdale, telling her I agreed that protests can be effective and more political participation is better. I thanked her that she and City Councilperson Al Lipscomb were always available to meet with me and others even though not in their district. One downside of 14-1is that the City Council seldom meets with anyone outside of their district or who does not publicly support them. This panel provided sentimental memories of a messy political time in Dallas that also included more participation with the City Council and Dallas residents.
#LegaciesDallas #HallOfState #14-1 #DianeRagsdale #MarvinCrenshaw #DallasPolitics #MayElections #Dallas
Courtyard and Skylights
Max Levy designed in 1997 an architectural front façade of windowless boxes that inside becomes a sunlit house with walls of windows wrapping around a courtyard and a central deep and wide skylight sheathed in trellises diffusing light throughout the home. Sunlight and simplicity create a cheerful and tranquil mood that one has trouble leaving. This architecturally significant home makes one think about architecture in a new way.
#Skylight #Trellis #Courtyard #ArchitecturallySignificant #Architect #Architecture #MaxLevy #Interior #ModernInterior #InteriorDesign #ModernHome #BentTree #Dallas
Ornamental Shadows
Metal leaves protrude from a white stucco wall. From the blank white canvas of this Max Levy designed home in 1997, shadows of these leaves appear. One can view them from the exterior of the home or the interior of the home. This is another Max Levy detail—simple, elegant, and captivating.
#MaxLevy #ArchitecturalDetail #MaxLevyDetail #SunlitHouse #Shadows #SunlightAndShadows #ModernHome #Contemporary #Modern #Art #SunArt #Leaves #Dallas #BentTree #90sArchitecture
Home Frames Sunlight
On a flat, featureless, North Dallas lot, this Max Levy 1997 designed geometric home is also almost flat and featureless. Blocks of rectangular shapes without windows make up the front façade. A first glance at the home turns into a riveting stare at the sunlit leaves that protrude from a section of the home. This is another Max play with sunlight that we will see in the next post tomorrow. The box trellis emerging from the roof suggests one pathway for the sunlight of this sunlit house.
#Sunlit #MaxLevy #Sunlight #Architect #Architecture #Design #Contemporary #ModernHome #BentTree #Dallas #cityhouse #modern
Interior Shares Exterior
When the interior and exterior materials of the home are the same, the home is melded into the site and beautifully blended into the landscape. Views to the outside rooms reveal the same materials as the interior rooms. The distinction of the interior and exterior of the home is subliminally blurred. The precisely finished interior exudes modernity while the materials convey nature.
#Fir #Interior #InteriorDesign #Modern #Design #ModernHome #MaxLevy #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Contemporary #Architect #Architecture #bluffview #design
Rainwater Cascades to Pond
Here’s another example of a Max Levy, elegant, modern detail. Juxtaposed with a home effortlessly blending into its site, we see sleek engineering that visually delights as we watch water conveyed from the roof to the terrace to the pond. Simple in its function, it is elaborate in its effect. Architectural poetry punctuates the architectural narrative of this modern home.
#Basin #Rainwater #Modern #Design #ModernHome #MaxLevy #Dallas #DallasNeighborhood #Contemporary #ArchitecturalPoetry #Architect #Architecture
Burnished Concrete and Fir
A quarry pond sets the tone for this home overlooking it. Architect Max Levy designed this home in 1997. The burnished concrete and fir blend into the site, further tying the house to the pond, rainwater is collected from the roof, channeled to a basin on the breezeway entry terrace, which then cascades down a runnel to the pond. This modern home built at the end of the 20th century launched the proliferation of good modern homes in this Devonshire neighborhood.
#MaxLevy #Devonshire #Modern #Architect #Architecture #Contemporary #BurnishedConcrete #Fir #Design #Rainwater #Terrace #QuarryPond #DallasNeighborhood #CityHouse #ModernHome
Roger Winter Returns
Roger Winter, one of the last of the Texas art legends that began receiving Texas and national attention in the 1960’s, returned to Dallas from New York for an opening he was in and curated at the Kirk Hopper Gallery. Roger Winter is seen here standing in front of a painting he did in 1969 that includes a portrait of him in the upper corner. This fabulous work is owned by Quin Mathews who has a great eye for art and a brilliant way of expressing art. This show included work of the late David McManaway and his protégé Robin Ragin along with other friends and contemporaries of Roger Winter. This art exhibition and Roger Winter’s return makes one long for a Texas art museum in Dallas.
#RogerWinter @KirkHopperFineArt #KirkHopperFineArt #DallasArt #TexasArt #60sArt #Gallery #Art #DeepEllum #Dallas #Artist #SelfPortrait #Painting #ArtExhibition #GalleryOpening #Portrait
Texas Art Legends
A montage of young Texas artists, now legends, was included in the show at Kirk Hopper Gallery exhibiting the works of Roger Winter, David McManaway, and other Texas legends, along with David McManaway’s protégé Robin Ragin. This montage of artists promoted a 1971 group show at SMU. It is fun to see David McManaway, (pictured in foreground) Roger Winter, Jim Love, Roy Fridge, Bill Komodore, Hal Pauley, and Herb Rogalla pictured here when they were young, good friends, and successful emerging artists. I recall watching them interact and personally influencing each other as well as their work influenced each other. Their work and reputation continued to grow over the years as they were collected by major museums and patrons. Word is patron and muse Solange is coming to town Saturday to visit gallery. This show It is a good reminder we need a Texas art museum in Dallas celebrating the different eras of Texas artists. Maybe Rick Brettell and Claude Albritton can create a Texas art museum in Fair Park? Dallas becomes a more international art city when it first understands its own history of art and artists.
#DavidMcManaway #RogerWinter #BillKomodore #JimLove #RoyFridge #DallasArtists #TexasArtists #KirkHopperGallery #70sArtists #DMA #ArtOpening #Dallas #DeepEllum #City #TremontArtists
Skylights and Trellises
The open rooms in this modern home are stitched together by linear skylights. Trellises above the skylights soften the sunlight. The resulting patterns of sunlight and shadow throughout the home further the continuity of the spaces and provide intimacy to this large home designed by Architect Max Levy in 1997.
#MaxLevy #Architect #Architecture #Contemporary #Modern #Design #ModernHome #Dallas #ModernInterior #Skylights #Sunlight #interiordesign