This is the famous Frank Lloyd Wright designed homebuilt right on a waterfall. After doing just a few paintings I was confident I could paint well. Being a great FLLW fan, I decided I would paint Fallingwater and sell prints and postcards in the gift shop. So, I hopped a plane and headed to Pittsburg. At the property (now a museum) I confidently announced to an employee, "I am going to do a painting of this house and sell the prints!" They let me know in no uncertain terms that I would NOT do that. "Why not?"
"The whole house is copywritten. You can do one painting but you cannot reproduce them."
Not fining that an acceptable answer, I ask to speak to his supervisor. Getting the same answer, I asked to talk to the head person. Again, she said I couldn't do that. She said "It was copywritten. We have never allowed an artist to do a painting for reproduction. You would have to have attorneys and contracts to do that." So, I made a contract stating they could approve the artwork and they would receive a share of every image I sold.
I was virtually unrestricted access for 3 days. I took many pictures and did a watercolor color study. The main picture I used was as the sun was coming up. It was misting out. The cleaning people had all the lights on. I was standing on a slippery boulder in the stream with 2 cameras around my neck.
Luckily, they didn't ask to see my portfolio because I had only completed 3 paintings at that point.
I appreciate the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy who owns and operates the property for the public
This is the famous Frank Lloyd Wright designed homebuilt right on a waterfall. After doing just a few paintings I was confident I could paint well. Being a great FLLW fan, I decided I would paint Fallingwater and sell prints and postcards in the gift shop. So, I hopped a plane and headed to Pittsburg. At the property (now a museum) I confidently announced to an employee, "I am going to do a painting of this house and sell the prints!" They let me know in no uncertain terms that I would NOT do that. "Why not?"
"The whole house is copywritten. You can do one painting but you cannot reproduce them."
Not fining that an acceptable answer, I ask to speak to his supervisor. Getting the same answer, I asked to talk to the head person. Again, she said I couldn't do that. She said "It was copywritten. We have never allowed an artist to do a painting for reproduction. You would have to have attorneys and contracts to do that." So, I made a contract stating they could approve the artwork and they would receive a share of every image I sold.
I was virtually unrestricted access for 3 days. I took many pictures and did a watercolor color study. The main picture I used was as the sun was coming up. It was misting out. The cleaning people had all the lights on. I was standing on a slippery boulder in the stream with 2 cameras around my neck.
Luckily, they didn't ask to see my portfolio because I had only completed 3 paintings at that point.
I appreciate the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy who owns and operates the property for the public
Painted under agreement with the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Limited Edition Prints, post cards and note cards available for purchase.
Small print has an image size of 9.5 x 12 inches on 11 x 14 inch paper
Large print has an image size of 14 x 17.25 inches on 16 x 20.25 inch paper
