Pub. 1 2021 Issue 1

15  — continued on page 16 rich, golden, earthy tones glowed in the midmorning sun. The second detail I noticed was the view of the Snake River. The Snake River canyon is perfectly framed between the trees and two seat walls constructed from the same Oakley stone as the house from the entry. The placement of the home and the way it blends into the landscape is nothing short of perfect. Just as Frank Lloyd Wright indeed envisioned. Before going inside, Henry and I stood outside the front door, chit-chatting and getting to know each other. At this early point in our interview, I realized that, as much as Henry loved his home, he loved the people and relationships he’s made because of the house as much, if not more. The first of many stories Henry told me wasn’t about the home’s architecture, the anachronism of Wright and his work, or about the process of completely renovating the house. The first story he told me was about the lengths his father- in-law went to find him an authentic Frank Lloyd Wright red tile. On the wall by the entry of certain Frank Lloyd Wright homes is a small red ceramic tile with Frank Lloyd Wright’s initials. These red tiles were reserved for projects with which the architect was notably satisfied. Buildings such as the Harold Price Sr. House in Paradise Valley, Arizona, Taliesin West in Scottsdale, the Solomon R. Guggenheim in New York, and numerous others all have the famous red tile. Frank Lloyd Wright did not give the Teater’s a red ceramic tile for one reason or another. Through an exalted series of friends, acquaintances, relatives, favors and relationships, Henry’s father-in-law was able to acquire a brand-new, authentic red Frank Lloyd Wright tile from the original maker. As Henry recounted his father-in-law, presenting him with the tile, he paused, holding back tears. For sure, the gift was meaningful and unique, but Henry was choked up not because of the gift itself, but because he so appreciated and loved his father-in-law. Once we were inside, sitting on the couch in the main studio room beneath the iconic Teater’s Knoll grid-windows overlooking the prow and the Snake River, I had to ask, “So did this house find you, or did you find the house?” I knew this was a big question that had already been answered. I just wanted to know what he would say. Henry laughed and replied, “Have you read my book?” The perfect answer to a silly question. Indeed I had. In Henry’s book, “At Nature’s Edge, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Artist Studio,” Henry recounts how he came to know of Teater’s Knoll, his first experience peering over the fence to catch a glimpse, his purchase of the home, its renovation, the design and history of the studio and his life there. As we continued to chat, Henry frequently mentioned his uncle Alden and referred to him as the most impactful person in his life. Uncle Alden Dow was a Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice in the early 1930s who went on to design numerous prolific buildings and heavily contributed to the architectural style that would come to be known as Michigan Modern. As Henry was narrating his introduction to and purchase of Teater’s Knoll, he recounted a trip to Florida to visit Uncle Alden and discuss his property’s possible procurement. Of course, uncle Alden thought purchasing this Frank Lloyd Wright home was a good idea. “If I were your father, I’d buy it for you,” said uncle Alden. “But I’m not and I won’t because if I did, it wouldn’t mean as much.” Henry continued to tell me that shortly after purchasing the property, he flew to Arizona to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation at Taliesin West in Scottsdale to talk about his upcoming renovation and, hopefully, meet many of the professionals he had read about. On the wall by the entry of certain Frank Lloyd Wright homes is a small red ceramic tile with Frank Lloyd Wright’s initials. These red tiles were reserved for projects with which the architect was notably satisfied.