My first job after graduating from college was in Pueblo Colorado with Hurtig, Gardner and Froelich Architects. They had designed a fantastic building that caught my eye, The Sangre De Cristo Arts and Conference Center.
It was a beautiful building, and most assuredly the Jewel of Pueblo. I could instantly tell that it had organic influences, which was right up my alley coming out of college. I was lucky enough to find employment with them, and to this day am grateful for the opportunities they gave me.
During my interview, I discovered that the three principals had gone to college at the University of Oklahoma and studied the art of Architecture under the tutelage of one of the most driving and influential forces of organic architecture, Bruce Goff. That influence and education has left its mark on the City of Pueblo in a number of Architectural Jewels including the Buell Children’s Museum, Pueblo Transit Center, Pueblo Ice Rink, and many others. If you get the chance to travel through Colorado, and have a bit of time, take the Pueblo downtown exit and tour around. You'll like what you see, especially if it was designed by Hurtig, Gardner, and Froelich!
John Hurtig happened to be in the office after I had lunch with an old friend, Bob Hart, who along with some others, have taken over the reins of the firm now that the three founding principals have retired. It was a great conversation that included some college war stories, recollections of Bruce Goff and his cohorts as well as a brief history of why and how John started an architectural firm in Pueblo, Colorado.
John also told me about his memoirs that he is writing and showed me several paintings that he has done since his retirement. They are based on artistic principals that he learned while attending Oklahoma, particularly an Architectural elective course that Bruce Goff had taught. I can tell you the paintings are fantastic!! Each one is a vivid collection of colors, lines and shapes that swirl around and draw the eye into its depth. The more you look into the intricate and organic tapestry he has created, the more you see. The paintings are not Architectural in appearance, but Architectural in nature and process. By that I mean they are not planned and laid out with proportions being studied and revised and the underlying composition being molded into a final product, but rather they appear to be the instant application of colors and lines in a quest for an unknown conclusion. It is quite evident that each painting is an internal journey for Mr. Hurtig, a journey where even he doesn't know where the final destination is. It was an honor for me to be taken on a tour of these journeys and a memory that will be cherished for a long time!
After talking with him, I realized that he was in the process of finding his passion again. He was re-discovering through all his new paintings the "why" that made him want to be an Architect all those years ago. He is in the process of shedding off the everyday burdens of a lifelong and professional career that are a required necessity for success in the Architectural profession. After seeing some of his paintings, I realized that John, like myself, is Lazarus.......and I am humbled to be in his company.
Hopefully, through publications (Friends of Kebyar) and a museum exhibition or two, his lifetime collection of work and contributions to the world through architecture will be recognized.....as they should be!!
This is a taste of his early work.
And you can follow this link to see examples of his latest work.
Thank you John for the education, training and above all else…..the inspiration!!
RBP.
4.17.12
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