On August 10th, the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy announced the 2021 recipients of the Wright Spirit Award, which recognizes owners and stewards of Wright buildings and others who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to preserving and restoring the remaining built works designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and enhancing appreciation of Wright’s legacy.
Among those recognized is Marta Wojcik, Westcott House's Curator & Executive Director. "This is an incredible honor that left me quite speechless," said Marta, "I am very grateful to my colleague Scott Perkins, Director of Preservation and Collections at Fallingwater, for nominating me, and to the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy for being such a supportive partner to all the public sites. In the midst of a daily bustle of activity, it is often difficult to find time to reflect on our journey, and let ourselves feel the joy of all the accomplishments, big and small. This award gave me an opportunity to do just that, and also feel a profound gratitude for everyone who is actively making the Westcott House a place of beauty, creativity and relevance. It does take a village and the Westcott village is comprised of my longtime colleague Tom Fyffe, our weekend coordinators, our Board, a big team of volunteers, members, donors, artists, educators, and community stakeholders. On a personal note, I would not get here if not for all the loving encouragement I receive from my husband and a fellow architecture junkie, Kevin Rose. This award is bestowed on a very few and I accept it with a great sense of responsibility. I will use it as a continued reminder of the opportunity I have to make a difference and help shine the light on the importance of the arts in our lives."
This year’s Wright Spirit Awards will be presented during the Conservancy’s annual conference, held this year in Buffalo, New York, and online. The awards ceremony, underwritten by Ron and Jan Scherubel, will take place at the conference’s closing gala on the evening of Saturday, October 16, and will stream live online. Full conference details, including schedule and free access to the gala livestream, will be available at savewright.org/conference.
“The Wright community is amazingly strong and creative” says Barbara Gordon, executive director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. “With the Wright Spirit Award, we recognize those who have made a significant and lasting impact on the ongoing effort to save Wright. This year we celebrate stewards who carried out exceptionally high-quality house restorations, and professionals who have found creative new ways to engage the public during this unprecedented time.”
The 2021 recipients of the Wright Spirit Award are as follows:
PRIVATE CATEGORY
Suzanne and Tom Miller
Late owners, DeRhodes House, South Bend, Indiana
For rescue and restoration of the DeRhodes House
Presented privately in spring 2021
Doug LaBrecque
Owner, Meyer House, Galesburg, Michigan
For comprehensive restoration of the Meyer House
PUBLIC CATEGORY
Wright Virtual Visits
Jeff Goodman, Heidi Ruehle and Eric Rogers
For the development and execution of the Wright Virtual Visits program
PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY
Marta Wojcik
For outstanding leadership as executive director & curator of the Westcott House, Springfield, Ohio
About the Wright Spirit Awards
The Wright Spirit Award was established by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy in 1991 to honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to preserving Wright’s legacy. The Conservancy’s Awards Committee selects the honorees from nominations received during an open nomination period. For a complete list of Wright Spirit Award winners please visit the Conservancy’s website at: https://savewright.org/what-we-do/wright-spirit-awards/
About The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy
The Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to facilitate the preservation and stewardship of the remaining structures designed by Frank Lloyd Wright through advocacy, education and technical services. The staff and a corps of dedicated and knowledgeable board members and volunteers accomplish the Conservancy’s mission through strategic initiatives that include advocating against demolition and neglect of Wright structures, providing access to expert technical conservation and restoration resources, connecting preservation-minded buyers and sellers of Wright properties, advancing original Wright scholarship through SaveWright magazine, and honoring those who demonstrate extraordinary efforts in stewardship of Wright’s legacy through the Wright Spirit Awards.
