In early May, I texted a friend-in-the-know, "does the Gordon House allow photo shoots? I have an idea for a Wilma X Wright photoshoot."
I had just come back from a trip to Italy, overflowing with memories of beautiful food, architecture, culture and landscape, but I was feeling uninspired by the day-to-day reality of selling and sourcing vintage in the PNW. I was looking for a new challenge. Professional photography on and inside the grounds of the Gordon House requires approval from the board. Fortunately, my shoot was approved by the board and I started to plan.
Built for Evelyn and Ed Gordon, the house was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1938. He died five years before completion of the project in 1964. Originally located in Wilsonville, the entire home was moved to Silverton after it was acquired by the conservancy. The house was opened to the public in 2002.
Unlike other projects I had been involved in, this one was all my own. I had full creative license - both daunting and exciting! My hope was to stretch my creative wings, and do justice to a historic site designed by one of the most well known American architects.
My vision for the Gordon House was to create an airy, gallery-like, editorial environment. I wanted to use the home as a blank canvas to reflect the Wilma aesthetic I was aspiring to. For those of us interested in architecture and design, having a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home nearby is pretty special. To be able to use it as a canvas is a bit of a dream!
I had worked with interior designer/stylist Karie Higgins and photographer Alba Betancourt on The Joss House and deeply admired their skill and presence on set. We made a great team, so they were naturally the first people I turned to for help with this project. I knew we shared an aesthetic perspective and a commitment to producing excellent work. I was thrilled that they were both on board! Karie has next level design skills and Alba can look into a lens and make magic.
The interior of the home is clad in cedar shelving and cabinetry, with walls made of cement blocks. Doug fir beams on the ceiling and Wright's signature red painted cement floors complete the fundamental design elements of the space. Perforated wood window treatments (fretwork) can be seen from most rooms on the main floor and are a focal point throughout.
True to the Wilma way, I brought an eclectic assortment of pieces to the house. In the months before the shoot, I started sourcing specifically with the Gordon House in mind. What could I show that I hadn't ever shown before? What would make a big impact in the space? How could I really push myself to approach this design in a bigger, more daring way?
We had 7 hours to put away all of the furniture in the home, roll up a massive rug, and declutter the shelves. Then, unload our ten foot U-Haul, load in, stage, shoot, and then do it all in reverse. It was a massive undertaking - on a 94° July day. Luckily Karie and Alba are seasoned pros and everything was seamless.
I wanted the furniture to stay true to the Wilma ethos and be an eclectic assortment that all worked together magically, even though at first glance it may have seemed that the pieces wouldn’t fit. For the art I approached two local artists: ceramicist Carma Ferrier and sculptor Chistopher Belluschi, so a cohesive and continuous theme would carry through the space.
We worked in the living and dining area, an upstairs bedroom, kitchen and patio. The highlights for me, were the living and dining areas. Karie and I knew exactly what we wanted to do, and essentially had the same vision. It is an expansive space, with floor to ceiling windows and doors that open onto patios on each side. Built-in shelves flank the dining and living areas. We had two sets planned for this space. One was a scattered, gallery-like approach: the feeling of an art exhibit you could live in. Belluschi sculptures lay on the floor while Ferrier ceramics perched on a travertine plinth. The Gerald McCabe modular bench hovered below the staircase. An Arne Vodder AV72 chaise lounge commanded attention in the center. In the pulled back, "livable" version, we positioned Dittman & Co fireside chairs side by side, in front of the Metafora coffee table, with some fresh dill added in to one of Carma's vases.
In the dining area, a large Alvaar Alto table 83 was piled high with art and design books, with vases and sculptures casually placed, surrounded by Cesca style woven leather and chrome dining chairs. I wanted the space to look like a creative lived there. Someone deeply invested in beauty and form, with the house being a living breathing entity that would be in relationship to its inhabitant.
In an upstairs bedroom, I hung a wood relief panel from legendary Pacific Northwest artist Leroy Setziol above the built-in desk. Setziol was friends with Italian-American architect Pietro Belluschi, who is Christopher Belluschi's great grandfather. Christopher's sculpture sits on the shelf below.
As the time neared for us to begin packing up, we moved outside to the patio. Pieces were placed at random and we captured one of my favorite looks of the day. Alba worked quietly amongst the strewn chaos of packing the truck- just out of shot here.
“You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” FLW
I loved working with my friends. Pushing my creative boundaries and witnessing the vision come to life was deeply satisfying. I could have easily spent a few more days on set to further explore and refine our ideas.
It was an honor to work in such a culturally significant setting, and I am so thankful to the Gordon House board for granting us permission. If you live in the PNW, I highly recommend making the trip and spending a day on the grounds. You can shop remaining pieces from this editorial here.
As for more work from the three of us? Stay tuned ;)