Only until February 17th, the Arlington Museum of Art houses the Frank Lloyd Wright exhibit, Samara, named for the home Wright designed for the Christian family, middle-class Indiana clan. John Christian was a professor at Purdue University. His wife Kay, and his daughter, Linda would also live in the custom home. Samara, referring to a winged seed, the basis for many designs in the property, combined the natural beauty of the property, textures of wood and brick that were textbook Usonian (United States of North America) style.
The term Usonian was coined for the style Wright came to be known for, one specific the United States, instead of American that might include styles more typical of other countries on the continent. The ideology made aesthetic design, nature and affordability priority, in other words, houses of this style fit well within the niche of organic architecture.
The exhibit narrates the story of how Samara came to be, a dream child composed of the wants and needs of the Christian family, nurtured by Wright's endlessly inventive style. On display are a few pieces of furniture, letters between the Christians and Mr. Wright, and even family movies and photos of the construction and the family enjoying their home. A few pieces allow visitors to touch. Mr. Wright's professionalism and personality are evident in their letters. One telegram exchange reflects a bit of humor, with Mr. Wright citing that he'd never heard of a living room being too large.
Samara was constructed with custom, built-in, wood furniture and a spacious floor plan, despite the home not being of immense size. Color schemes and decor were also overseen by Wright until his passing.
Arlington Museum of Art hours are Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Admission to the exhibit costs $8 for adults. The museum is located at 201 E. Main St. in downtown Arlington.
