SMALL AT LARGE

THERE COMES A TIME WHEN THE CHEERING RECEDES AND THE HAT GOES INTO THE AUDIENCE. THE SAXOPHONE PLAYER ON THE STREET WITH HIS CAP ON THE GROUND. THE VIOLIN MUSIC IN THE SUBWAY TUNNEL WITH THE CASE OPEN. YOU CAN GET THE NEW YORK TIMES FOR NOTHING ON THE INTERNET AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, INCLUDING MY BLOG.

I AM VERY PLEASED THAT JUST AFTER A COUPLE OF MONTHS THERE IS MUCHO ACTIVITY ON MY BLOG. IT HAS TAKEN OFF LIKE A ROCKET. MANY OF YOU HAVE HELPED SPREAD THE WORD, AND I THANK YOU.

IN THE UNIFORM, WITH THE HIP COLLAR

I BELIEVE IN BARN RAISING AND POTLUCKS. A PITTANCE FROM MANY CREATES NEEDED SUBSTANCE. AS MY FIRST BLOG INDICATED, I AM CRAWLING OUT FROM HUGE DEBT AND HAVE EXPENSES AND OWE MONEY TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. THIS SUMMER I HAD TO BORROW TO PAY THE RENT ON MY DINGBAT APARTMENT. MY WEB SITE TECH MAN HAS A FAMILY WITH TEENAGERS TO SUPPORT. HE HAD TO TAKE A HOME MORTGAGE LOAN TO SUPPORT THEM WHILE HE FINISHES SCHOOL. (THIS TYPE OF SITUATION ENDED UP IN FORECLOSURE FOR ME).

I ASK YOU TO TAKE THE SAME AMOUNT YOU SPEND ON A CUP OF COFFEE – SAY $3 – AND DROP IT INTO THE PAYPAL HAT TO KEEP ME FEELING LIKE I AM PART OF THE CAPITALIST WORLD. IF YOU DON’T CONTRIBUTE, DO NOT FEEL BAD. I LOOK AT PUBLIC TELEVISION ALL THE TIME AND NEVER CONTRIBUTE A DIME. EVEN IN THEIR FUND DRIVES, I STAY TUNED AND LISTEN TO ALL THE PROMOTIONAL MUSIC TO ENTICE DONATIONS. IF THEY ARE SO INTELLIGENT AND RIGHT, WHY HAVE THEY NOT INCLUDED ME IN THEIR PROGRAMMING?

THIS IS A HAPPY STATE OF AFFAIRS TO TURN A BUCK. MY DAUGHTER LUCIA, WHO MADE THE MOVIE “MY FATHER THE GENIUS” POINTS OUT THAT I DO NOT GET PROPERLY COMPENSATED FOR THE WORK I PERFORM. SHE IS CORRECT, BUT THAT SEEMS TO BE MY PLIGHT. MAYBE YOU INSIGHTFUL PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THAT. THIS IS NOT CHARITY; THIS IS COMPENSATION FOR SERVICES RENDERED.

MY APPROACH FOR YEARS TO A POTENTIAL CLIENT WAS: LET ME DO A DESIGN FOR YOU, NO MONEY UP FRONT. I WILL LISTEN TO YOUR CONCERNS, NEEDS AND DESIRES. IF YOU LIKE MY ROUGH PRELIMINARY, YOU ARE OBLIGATED TO PAY ME AND PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT. IF NOT, YOU OWE ME NOTHING. IN RECENT YEARS, I USE THE SAME APPROACH WITH A MINIMUM RETAINER. IT RELAXES THE CLIENT AND ALLOWS ME TO DESIGN WHAT I THINK IS RIGHT WITHOUT ME FEELING GUILTY FOR CHARGING FOR SOMETHING THE CLIENT MIGHT NOT LIKE. BUT THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT ALL WILL GO AHEAD SMOOTHLY. MANY PRELIMINARY DESIGNS HAVE HAPPENED WITH NO GO-AHEAD TO BUILD. SOME HAVE WALKED AWAY. I GETTING MOMENTARY JOY OF CREATING WITH IMAGES, MODELS, AND DRAWINGS FOR MY JAMMED PORTFOLIO.

A POINT OF CONCERN IS TO GET COMPENSATED FOR CONSTRUCTION OBSERVATION, WITH CLAUSES IN THE CONTRACT FOR EXTENDED TIME PERIODS. 1) OBSERVATION OF CONSTRUCTION IS A MUST. 2) LOTS OF TIME AND EXTENDED TIME IS NEEDED TO DO IT PROPERLY.

OFTEN, I HAVE BEEN KILLED FINANCIALLY AT THE END OF CONSTRUCTION. ONCE REALITY KICKS IN AND THE CLIENT AND CONTRACTOR FLEX THEIR MUSCLES, RICH CLIENTS OFTEN DO NOT MAKE THE LAST PAYMENT DUE TO CONCERNS AND CUT THROAT ADVICE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PERSONALLY; I HAVE HEARD THIS DIRECTLY FROM ARCHITECTS THAT SERVE THE RICH.

TRUST ME

I WAS IN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT YEARS AGO PUSHING A DESIGN THROUGH AND I WAS COMPLAINING TO THE PLAN CHECKER, WHO I USUALLY TRY AND TREAT AS A FRIEND AND CONFIDANT, THAT I WAS GETTING PAID INSIGNIFICANTLY TO DO MY ARCHITECTURE. HIS RESPONSE WAS, “YOU DO NOT NEED TO GET MUCH; YOU ARE DOING WHAT YOU LOVE.” IN MY OFFICE IN NICARAGUA, I HAD A COUPLE OF TABLES FULL OF ROUGH STUDY MODELS. THE MOTHER OF MY PARTNER’S WIFE WALKS IN. SHE HAS PUT FOUR KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE WHO MAJORED IN BUSINESS, AND SHE HERSELF OWNS AND OPERATES A CLOTHING MANUFACTURING BUSINESS. SHE LOOKS AT ME, MY SCISSORS, PAPER AND GLUE-GUN IN HAND, DOING MY THING, AND DECLARES: “YOU ARE NOT WORKING, YOU ARE PLAYING. ” WELL, WITH THIS INSIGHT OF HOW THE ARTIST ARCHITECT IS PERCEIVED, IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT THE MONEY WORLD IS TOUGH.

ADAPTING TO NICARAGUA

IT IS REAL SIMPLE WHY ARCHITECTS DO NOT RESEARCH FOR THE GOOD OF HUMANITY. THEY RARELY GET PAID TO DO SO. ARCHITECTS FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL. THE STATUS QUO PREVAILS. OTHER PROFESSIONS DEPEND ON INNOVATION TO STAY VITAL, AND POUR TONS OF MONEY INTO RESEARCH. JUST LOOK AT THE ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY, COMPUTER WORLD AND MEDICAL FIELD. THERE ARE ALSO LABOR UNIONS AND LOBBYISTS CONTROLLING THE WAY BUILDINGS ARE BUILT. OH YES, WITH THE GREEN MOVEMENT THERE IS INNOVATION, BUT THE BIG PATTERNS OF VESTED INTERESTS ARE ALREADY IN PLACE. WHAT IS IRONIC IS THAT THE GREEN MOVEMENT HAS MADE IT MANDATORY TO RETROFIT AND OR BUILD NEW, WHICH IS A MAJOR MONEY MAKER. IS THIS REALLY GREEN? WHILE TEACHING AT SCI-ARC, OTHER PROFESSORS WERE CHASING CLIENTS AND SUBSIDIZING THEIR PRACTICE WITH PROFESSOR MONEY AND FREE STUDENT LABOR, I WAS DOING PROJECTS THAT I BELIEVED THE WORLD NEEDED. I WAS TAKING MY STUDENTS INTO A WORLD OF INNOVATION THAT CHALLENGED THE ESTABLISHMENT.

YOU WANT ECO FRIENDLY: HOW ABOUT THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE? (PHOTO JAN MARDIAN)

THE WORLD IS UPTIGHT, AND HONESTY SCARES THEM TO DEATH. SO BEING ON THE LOOSE IS REFRESHING TO OTHERS AND ME. HOW AN ARCHITECT SPINS HIS APPROACH TO GENERATE MONEY IS NOT MY FORTE. I JUST WANT TO BE PAID FOR PUSHING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER. THE BLOG IS CONTINUING, REGARDLESS. IT FEELS GREAT TO NOT YELL AT THE CEILING, AND INSTEAD RELEASE MY THOUGHTS AND CONCERNS ON THE BLOG.

IN SAVANNA GEORGIA THEY HELD A FILM FESTIVAL IN 2002 AND INVITED MY DAUGHTER LUCIA TO PRESENT HER FILM “MY FATHER THE GENIUS”. THEY FLEW ME IN FROM NICARAGUA, TO ADD A PERSONAL TOUCH AND TO GIVE A LECTURE TO THEIR ARCHITECTURAL DEPT. AS USUAL AT MY LECTURES, THE STUDENTS RAVED AND THE PROFESSORS WERE POLITE.

THE FESTIVAL GAVE A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO THE LATE SYDNEY POLLACK DIRECTOR AND ACTOR. HE DIRECTED NUMEROUS EXCELLENT FILMS. (I RECENTLY RE-WATCHED “THE WAY WE WERE” WITH ROBERT REFORD AND BARBRA STREISAND. IT WAS GREAT). AT THE FESTIVAL, SYDNEY GAVE A STOREFRONT LECTURE WITH ABOUT A HUNDRED PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE. I WAITED TILL THE QUESTION AND ANSWER WAS TERMINATING TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS THE FATHER OF A FILM MAKER, AND THAT I HAD CLAIR POLLACK (WIFE OF SYDNEY) IN MY CLASS AT SCI-ARC AND HER LARGE TENSION TENT STRUCTURE THAT SHE HAD DESIGNED WAS IN MY DAUGHTER’S MOVIE. THEN I MENTIONED THAT SYDNEY HAD TURNED DOWN A SCRIPT OF MINE ON THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE. THE AUDIENCE STARTED TO COME ALIVE. SYDNEY WAS MAKING A DOCUMENTARY ON FRANK GEHRY AT THE TIME; I MENTIONED THAT FRANK WAS IN MY DAUGHTER’S FILM TOO. I HAD CAUGHT SYDNEY’S ATTENTION BY NOW AND HE ASKED: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” I SAID, MY DAUGHTER HAD MADE A MOVIE ON ME AND THAT SHE WOULD PROBABLY WIN AN AWARD AND WE WOULD BE ON STAGE WITH HIM. MY QUESTION TO HIM WAS: “I HAVE BEEN AROUND HERE FOR TWO DAYS AND HAVE SEEN THESE STRUGGLING FILM MAKERS TALKING ABOUT MONEY TO DO THEIR WORK. HOW DID YOU SYDNEY DEAL WITH THIS?” HE ANSWERED THAT HE WENT TO NEW YORK AND STUDIED, AND BECAME A TEACHER AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAYHOUSE SCHOOL OF THEATRE. THEN, HE STARTED DOING STUFF. THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE A SENSE OF STRUGGLE IN HIS CAREER. HE REALLY WAS NOT IN TOUCH WITH THE STRUGGLES THAT IT TAKES TO MAKE FILMS WITH NO MONEY THAT THE AUDIENCE REFLECTED. HE HAD TALENT, THE RIGHT BREAKS, AND MET THE RIGHT PEOPLE EARLY ON, LIKE ROBERT REDFORD AND BURT LANCASTER. HE BECAME VERY SUCCESSFUL AND OWNED HIS OWN JET PLANE. HOLLYWOOD STORY.

YOU WANT TO DISCUSS SOMETHING?

TWO NIGHTS LATER MY DAUGHTER WON BEST DOCUMENTARY AND WE WERE ON THE STAGE AND I ASKED: “IS SYDNEY IN THE AUDIENCE? I WANT TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT ARCHITECTURE.”

THE SOUTHERNERS REALLY KNOW HOW TO THROW GALA PARTIES AND THAT NIGHT WONDERING AROUND, A YOUNG BUCK COMES UP AND NUDGES ME ANNOUNCING, THERE IS SYDNEY OVER THERE, (LIKE SICK HIM). AS I WAS APPROACHING SYDNEY, WHO WAS OF GOOD STATURE, I COULD READ HIS BODY MOVEMENTS GO INTO SHOCK. NOW HERE IS A MAN, PROBABLY A BILLIONAIRE WITH ALL THE CONNECTIONS AND SUCCESS IN THE WORLD CRINGE WITH MY ARRIVAL. WE TALKED ABOUT HIS WIFE AND THE MOVIE ON FRANK, HE ASSURED ME IT WOULD NOT BE A FLUFF PIECE. I SUGGESTED THAT HE GET SOME INTERVIEWS WITH PEOPLE THAT DID NOT LIKE FRANK’S WORK. THE EDITOR SYDNEY CHOOSE FOR FRANK’S MOVIE WAS THE LATE KAREN SCHMEER (WHO RECENTLY DIED A TRAGIC DEATH AT THE PRIME OF HER CAREER IN NEW YORK BY A THIEF ESCAPING FROM A CRIME AND DRIVING RECKLESSLY.) KAREN WAS A VERY CLOSE FRIEND AND ROOMMATE OF MY DAUGHTER LUCIA SMALL. SHE WAS ALSO THE EDITOR ON MY DAUGHTER’S FILM “MY FATHER THE GENIUS”. KAREN’S TAKE WAS, (WHICH I HEARD SECOND HAND) THAT “SKETCHES WITH GEHRY” WAS CONTROLLED BY GEHRY TO NOT REVEAL ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL THAT WOULD SHOW GEHRY IN A NEGATIVE LIGHT. IT WAS A FLUFF PIECE. THIS POINT HAS BEEN MADE BY CRITICS AS WELL, SUCH AS IN THE LA TIMES. MY READ ON SYDNEY’S BEHAVIOR WAS THAT HE WAS FRIGHTENED OF ME. I WAS NOT ONE OF GEHRY’S ESTABLISHMENT BUDDIES. THIS WAS NOT CHARLIE ROSE, AND HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER ME. WITH NO MONEY AND BEATEN UP, I WAS DANGEROUS TO HIM.

THE BIOMORPHIC BIOSPHERE CROWN THAT MESSES WITH MY HEAD (PHOTO JAN MARDIAN)

I AM REMINDED OF THE SCENE IN THE GRADUATE WHEN DUSTIN HOFFMAN STARTS POUNDING ON THE GLASS WALL IN THE BALCONY OF THE CHURCH TO DISRUPT THE WEDDING, THEN, STEALING THE BRIDE OUT OF THE CHURCH BY JAMMING THE EXIT DOOR WITH A CROSS, AND RUNNING OFF TO HITCH A RIDE ON A BUS WHILE MRS. ROBINSON, THE BRIDE’S MOTHER, (WHO IS THE BEST THING IN THE MOVIE) YELLING IN HORROR AS IT HAPPENS; ALL THE WHILE, THE AUDIENCE IN THE THEATER SCREAMING WITH DELIGHT. BUT IF YOU TRIED PULLING THIS OFF IN REAL LIFE, EVEN YOUR CLOSE FRIENDS WOULD TURN ON YOU.

WISHING YOU THE BEST,

GLEN