Euine Fay Jones 2007 Kebyar Celebration

Wednesday, May 2, 2007

Meeting Fay Jones

I first met Fay Jones in December of 1974. I had contacted him to set up a tour of his office for three classmates, Joe Kirkwood, Tom Sutton and Robert Whitten, and myself from Auburn University. We arrived later than we had hoped, having stopped in North Little Rock to see the city park gazebo that Fay had designed.

Fay came down to the office and spent several hours with us, showing countless drawings and photographs of his work. He captured each of us in his stories of Frank Lloyd Wright, Bruce Goff and others.

After a while Fay's wife, Gus called to get him to come home. The stories continued for a least another hour, with more calls from Gus. Finally, at the fifth call, which Fay did not answer, Fay realized it was far too late and that we all would be in trouble if we did not leave at once. Fay went home and we continued our architectural tour. I drove us through the cold night arriving in Bartlesville in the early morning hours at the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Price Tower. The next day, not only did we see the tower, but we also toured the architecture of Bruce Goff, which is another story.

In 1975 I went to work for Bruce Goff who was living in Tyler, Texas at the time. Palmer Boggs, the structural engineer that Goff used lived in Fayetteville. So over the three and a half years that I was with Goff, there were several times that I came to Fayetteville. On each occasion, I would visit Fay and Gus.

Fay and Gus visited Atlanta in 1991 for an AIA convention. I had the pleasure of driving them to the convention and of touring Emory University with them. The Cannon Chapel by Paul Rudolph was of great interest.

We remained in contact with each other over the years. My last visit was in on the 3^rd of June 2004. We sat on the terrace, sharing stories and drinking lemonade, much as I remember doing on previous visits.

Please make plans to attend the Euine Fay Jones 2007 Kebyar Celebration!

Euine Fay Jones 2007 Kebyar Celebration Schedule and Information

Schedule:

Thursday June 7 Reception: 6:30 pm to sunset, early arrivals reception at the Keenan TowerHouse designed by Fayetteville architect Marlon Blackwell. Located near the corner of Old Wire Road and Old Mission.

Directions will be available at The Cosmopolitan Hotel.

Friday June 8 Conference: University of Arkansas, School of Architecture.

Tour of the Fay Jones Collection, University of Arkansas Library.

Lunch will be provided.

Group photo at the Fulbright Peace Fountain

Speakers include Albert Drap and David McKee.

Friday June 8 Reception and Dinner Banquet:
The Cosmopolitan Hotel, Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Reception is a cash bar.
The dinner banquet is included. Please advise of meal preference, chicken, beef or vegetarian. Space is limited for the dinner banquet; please RSVP as soon as possible.

Saturday June 9 Tour: Fayetteville and Eureka Springs.
Ground transportation by 14 passenger vans is included for the June 9 tour. The morning tour includes these homes in Fayetteville:

W.D. Harral House (Butterfly House) 1958

Wilkinson/Lechtenberger (Sequayah Project) 1956

Joe Marsh Clark house 1959 - 1961. Later addition by Dennis Becker in 1998.

Buckley house 1967

Additionally, we will drive by several other homes designed by Fay Jones, which may include some of the following. Plus we will see examples of architecture by other architects who have practiced in the region.

H. R. Snow House, 1961

Hotz House 1976 - 1978

Brothers House 1956

Projects designed by James Lambeth

Projects designed by Edward Durell Stone

Projects designed by Warren Seagraves

Lunch is not included, though; arrangements for the group will be made to eat at Bubba's Barbecue in Eureka Springs, a favorite of Fay Jones.

Thorncrown Chapel will be visited while in Eureka Springs.

Dinner will be on your own in Fayettevlle.

Sunday June 10 Tour: Fayetteville, Bentonville and Bella Vista.
This will be a self-directed tour; ground transportation is NOT included. Touring maps will be provided.

8:30 am - 10:30 am - Homes in Fayetteville, AR.

9 am - 10:30 am - Blackwell Home, Marlon Blackwell Architect

11 am to 1 pm - Cooper Memorial Chapel, Bella Vista, AR

2 pm to 4 pm - Applegate House, Bentonville, AR.

Between the times listed above, there is the opportunity to drive by other homes and buildings which will be listed on the touring maps. Please note, locations of home have been researched based on available information though not all have been verified.