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Takaezu - 1 - 18

Takaezu: The second year. And the third year Cranbrook gave me a scholarship. They wanted me to be Maja Grotell's assistant, in fact. And then during the summer I taught. Maja Grotell wanted me to teach. So I taught for three summers and I think she was grooming me, without my knowing it, to replace her eventually. And they did ask me to do it and I said no. I refused to teach at Cranbrook. 

Q: What was the reason for that?

Takaezu: Well, I felt I didn't want to be in an ivory tower. I'd like to be free and do my own thing. It's wonderful to be there, but to teach there and-- you're in a cloister there. It's beautiful, but I think everybody knows what you're doing, which is fine. 

But also I really wanted to be free. But then I taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art.

Q: Was that after you graduated?

Takaezu Yes. The first job I got after Cranbrook-- two jobs were offered to me. One year at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. And one semester in Wisconsin. And oddly enough, I decided I'd like to be where it's cool and I took Wisconsin. For one semester presumably. But I think they liked me enough to give me second semester, because Harvey Littleton took a