More Montsalvat

As these photos will show, the buildings at  Montsalvat have aged beautifully.  To the left of these arches sits the first dwelling to be built. It's referred to affectionately as "Lil's House". Lily was Justus' wife.  The house is constructed using pise-de-terre or rammed earth.  As it ages, it develops a lovely soft patina that emphasises the texture of the walls.  Similarly the courtyard below is enhanced by the patina of ages.

At every turn the visitor is invited to explore the next little nook or find out what's at the top of another set of stairs. These steps lead up to the swimming pool within a courtyard beside the Great Hall.

As I sat in the Chapel on Friday (remember that was the last building completed before Justus' death)I was struck by the atmosphere of Montsalvat.  The character of the buildings has a lot to do with that.  But there's something else at work.  I'm starting to see that the sheer force of creative energy that Justus Jorgensen exerted there  is embedded in every wall and sculpture of every building on the place.  I was reminded of Heide 1 at Heide Museum of Modern Art.  I consistently feel the presence and energy of Heide's founder Sunday Reed in those beautiful old walls.  Funny that they were contemporaries and lived only ten kilometers from one another. Something in the air perhaps?