Thursday, August 23, 2007

For Whom the Bells...

...toll? No, too small. Also too small to peal. Whatever. The bells are there to earn $$$ to help pay for the ambitious structures forever abuilding at Arcosanti. Paolo Soleri's Utopian community on the side of a small canyon near the Agua Fria River was not the sort of place that would have attracted the late husband. And so it was up to the accommodating niece from Memphis to show me the place in the flesh. On our way back from Sky Harbor this month, it was.

Yes, I have plenty of pictures of the place. Far too many. Hence this post showing just the bells. I don't recall whether they are made up here in the high desert near Cordes Junction or at studios down in Scottsdale in the Valley of Death.

In any event, all manner of bells -- except for those big berthas that inspired all Russian composers or that starred in thriller Hitchcock movies. I would guess that these might tinkle or maybe ring. Peal or toll, never.

However, they do indeed make fine architectural accents!

10 comments:

Lucy said...

'To the tintinabulation that so musically wells...'
Looks a wonderful place.

Linda G. said...

Haven't been there for years.
Looking forward to more...

quilteddogs said...

Interesting to see that he is using different colors.

Anonymous said...

When I was a kid at Primavera School in the 1970's, we took a lot of field trips to Arcosanti.

"This is how you'll be living when you're grown up in the year 2000!" we were always told.

It's kinda too bad I'm not living like that at all. It looks pretty nice.

Granny J said...

Lucy -- fascinating, yes... wonderful, I'm not so sure!

Brain -- the freedom that digital brings also encourages over-production & vacillation. Oh, which pictures should I use! Which should I just trash!

QD -- you are obviously more familiar with his bells than I was or am.

Welcome, Melanie! We were also told about flying commutermobiles and how many other wondrous innovations that never came to be...

Chickenbells said...

pretty...I've never been there...although my father swears he took me once...

smilnsigh said...

This must be lovely!

Mari-Nanci

Granny J said...

CB -- There's always a first time! I waited for over 25 years...

SnS -- I would modify that and say "interesting."

Anonymous said...

The photos came out beautifully...all the angles! I have one hanging on my front door porch...a pretty consistant reminder of the place...old commune type that I am!

Granny J said...

Lane -- Secret admission: I have a bad habit of tilting my camera when I shoot, so that I spend an inordinate amount of time nestled up to PhotoShop straightening out the dominant lines!

 
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