My design career was made complete very early on by having had a couple of opportunities for real 'face time' during afternoon tea at the home of Canada's iconic architect Arthur Erickson. Arthur's invitation followed a rather an impromptu invite via Mutual Friend, to our summer barbeque complete with a book signing (we happened to have one of his books sitting out on the hearth) but most importantly was a promise of a guided tour of the eclectic/quasi - Japanese/ exotic/ plant scape by the creator himself, well known Canadian gardener Lawrence Wick - who just happens to be my beloved 80+ year old aka "Uncle Larry" as he is known by all of my friends.
To have a chance to "talk shop" informally with someone as gifted as Arthur over a cup of $100.00 very special - black tea - a gift he said - was truly humbling. He was set to travel the following day to Beijing on business.
Myself, the next day also, I was jetting off to my project in the rainy west coast township of Prince Rupert for a federal government 35,000 sq. ft. half life re-fit following LEED!!
Arthur graciously promised me, it would get better!! He asked me about what I had planned and was just so encouraging.
He shared with me the importance of having a paint spec for the perfect shade of grey - guaranteed to match my favorite color of concrete!
And, the best thing he could ever have told we was that my husband's opinion that my strange practice of bending over from my waist to look back at a draft of a floor plan from between my knees so I could view it from a different perspective was perfectly acceptable in the design world - and that he often did the very same thing!
My conversations with Arthur were - for a new designer - just an amazing gift. I am truly saddened that he has passed on. He was such a gentle man.
To have a chance to "talk shop" informally with someone as gifted as Arthur over a cup of $100.00 very special - black tea - a gift he said - was truly humbling. He was set to travel the following day to Beijing on business.
Myself, the next day also, I was jetting off to my project in the rainy west coast township of Prince Rupert for a federal government 35,000 sq. ft. half life re-fit following LEED!!
Arthur graciously promised me, it would get better!! He asked me about what I had planned and was just so encouraging.
He shared with me the importance of having a paint spec for the perfect shade of grey - guaranteed to match my favorite color of concrete!
And, the best thing he could ever have told we was that my husband's opinion that my strange practice of bending over from my waist to look back at a draft of a floor plan from between my knees so I could view it from a different perspective was perfectly acceptable in the design world - and that he often did the very same thing!
My conversations with Arthur were - for a new designer - just an amazing gift. I am truly saddened that he has passed on. He was such a gentle man.
The water garden at Arthur Erickson's home in Vancouver. He and I are standing on the "granite floating carpet".
This is the name plaque on my Uncle's building in a suburb just outside Vancouver - my maiden name. In granite it will be in place for ever!
