2019 was another busy year on the Taliesin estate in Spring Green! Our staff have a plethora of memories from this tour season, thus we selected a few of the most memorable to share with visitors, donors and community partners as thanks for all you do to make moments like this possible for us—and for generations to come.
“The highlight of my year was participating in our first Taste of Taliesin. As an added bonus, my parents were visiting from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada at the time, and I was able to include them and my spouse in the event as guests. The event included a small group of guests traveling through the estate together accompanied by a staff guide and sampling the work of area chefs at different food stations. It provided a really unique opportunity to interact with the buildings in a way not many guests get the opportunity to experience them. Having the guide along to provide context and interesting stories was fantastic. The local chefs all had interesting life stories and food stories to tell. And the group got a real opportunity to bond and connect. Add in the grandeur that is the Taliesin estate and the Driftless landscape, and it really was a magical evening.”—Sherri Riach, Human Resources Manager
“My memorable moment this year revolved around the Madison Area Master Gardeners Association. In 2018, when I was still landscape manager, MAMGA asked me to speak during their annual meeting in March of 2019. I accepted, not knowing I would them transition into my current role. Not only was I able to share my knowledge of the landscape with the group during their meeting, but several months later I coordinated a group tour for them to experience the Taliesin gardens first hand. It was extremely rewarding to know I piqued their interest enough that they wanted to make a trip out to Taliesin to see all the things I had talked about in person. I was then able to follow up the presentation, by leading their group during their garden tour. It felt like the perfect way to conclude the presentation and use my new skills in my current role to make that happen. The tour felt like such a natural follow-up to the presentation. It was such a rewarding experience! I hope this can happen for any other Taliesin staff that have speaking engagements in the future.”—Christina Harrington, Visitor Experience Manager
“My feelings are about sharing the Taliesin estate with the world. I love showing archival photographs at Facebook on Throwback Thursday and in the Historian’s Corner on Taliesin Preservation’s website. These photos give others views from all over the Taliesin estate, plus help others realize there’s more than just one building here too! We’re connected to the Wright world at large which another reason why I love that Taliesin was made part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site this year!”—Keiran Murphy, Cultural Historian
“The Natural Landscapes Program enjoyed having recent high school graduate Melina Lohr as our summer intern. Melina focused primarily on invasive species control throughout the estate as well as trail development and maintenance. Melina made it a goal to have all the trails in tip top shape before heading to Platteville for her first year of college. She was able to do just that. It was a real pleasure to work with Melina at Taliesin for the summer.”—Mike Degen, Natural Landscapes Coordinator
“The beautiful applique curtain that adorns our Hillside Theatre is one of my favorite features at Taliesin and one I’m proud to show off to our guests. The humble materials—just dime store felt, with some weaving of yarn yield to a sophisticated, abstract design representing Frank Lloyd Wrights home as it perches above the valley of his ancestors and the nearby Wisconsin River. One of my guests raised her hand shyly. “I was born here” she began, and unfolded the story of how her mother, the wife of an apprentice, went into labor on an evening when she and the other wives were sewing the curtain under the supervision of Olgavanna. The year was 1956. She was introduced to FLLW as an infant in arms, and spent her first year living with her parents in an apartment at Midway. Today was her first time back, and at my encouragement she examined the curtain in quiet delight.”—Amber Westerman, Tour Guide
