HELLO AND WELCOME

Dear like-minded friends -

One of the many exceptional things about LongHouse is that nothing exists in isolation.  Every single facet conspires to add up to one big full rich artistic ideal of an inspired way to live life.  Jack's long and fulfilled life has stoked his imagination in many ways that have culminated in the LongHouse Reserve that exists for us all.

Having recently been in Europe and visited house and garden museums as varied as the eclectic stylized apartment/studio of Giorgio di Chirico near the Spanish Steps in Rome, the Fortuny wonderland workshop and gallery in Venice and Lady Londonderry’s exquisite Mount Stewart outside of Dublin, I am amazed at how each speaks so eloquently and individually to a special life well-lived and deserving of global attention.

When I consider LongHouse critically, which is something I try to step back and do as often as possible, I find it truly does measure up to any of these world class ideas – and invariably the great houses and gardens can be traced back to a single inspired soul.  Each is imbued with a passion, a directive and a philosophy so strong that it seems natural that they take a place on the world stage.

Our Jack, a man enmeshed in patterns and concepts and new ways of perception, is many of those things and more.  LongHouse is as different, and as individual as any of the great legendary houses, gardens and think-tanks.  We have a secure place in the big picture – with our art, garden and education programs as they are now and as they will grow into the future – and someday Jack will be a very comfortable member in the pantheon of the all-time cultural greats.

We hope you have enjoyed the season we have offered this year and are working hard to make the next even better.  Jack couldn’t realize his dreams, nor cold we do any of these things without your support and enthusiasm.

We appreciate and love every one of you,

Dianne Benson