Party at Frank Lloyd Wright's U-Haul House

Lucia Renshaw, Bruce Colville, Joan Cremin

Tonight Joan Cremin, who is on the board, and I went to a party hosted by the Phoenix Art Museum at a home built in 1955 designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  It is currently owned by the U-Haul company; hence the name.  We followed directional signs to the valet parking for the "U-Haul House" which seemed a somewhat pedestrian name in relationship to the chic party that awaited us.

Honoree Ellen Katz with Joan Cremin

The party was to honor Ellen and Howard Katz for their generous support of the Phoenix Art Museum.  It was a perfect evening and much of the party was outside on the astro-turf lawn with a fantastic view of the desert.  We were able to tour the inside of the house which was decorated in the original decor including turquoise shag carpet, turquoise built-in divans in the living room accented with avocado green throw pillows.  The house is very long and linear with the feeling of being on a train or a small ship of some kind with bedroom after bedroom lined up along a long narrow hallway.

There were large concrete columns surrounding the home's centerpiece, which is a 1,000 square foot indoor atrium open to the sky and desert with a striking fountain in the center.  According to the  welcome program which we received at the party, the home "is a prime example of Wright's manipulation of heavy industrial materials to a light and appealing effect."

Joan Cremin and Cathi Hatch

I had the opportunity to meet many of Joan's friends and supporters of the Phoenix Art Museum including Lucia Renshaw & Bruce Colville, Sue & Bud Selig, Jim Ballinger, Ron Miller, Mary & Bill Way, Lila Harnett, Jean & Meryl Haber and a score of others.