Growing up in the Chicago area in the 1970s, three young entrepreneurs were well aware of the long shadow left by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Three years ago, the trio -- Bryan and Lisa Kelly and Eric O 'Malley -- founded Prairie Arts, a company that reproduces authorized pieces of home decor designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and other noted contributors to the Prairie Style of the early 20th century. Vintage pieces, they knew, were both rare and expensive, and they correctly predicted the strong revival of interest in early modern design.

On Friday, the team will be at Taliesin to present a free lecture to architecture students and the public, telling the story of how they quit their day jobs and built their business into a national brand in a little more than two years.

Part of the Prairie Arts collection are reproductions of the American Terra Cotta and Ceramics Co. (aka Teco) made between 1899 and the 1920s. The Teco Art Pottery Collection includes seven vase styles in both historical and contemporary glaze colors. The company hired Wright and other prominent architects to design the vases, which were available in 500 shapes when Teco was at its peak in 1911.

"We spent months researching, selecting designs and consulting experts who helped us remain faithful to the originals, " said Bryan Kelly.

The search took them to both private and public collections, from which they chose seven designs. Each piece is made by the same process as the originals: slip cast formed, glazed and finished by hand. The vases range in price from $60 to $180.

Prairie Arts also sells a collection of wood screens laser-cut in maple or cherry that replicate Wright designs, laser-cut "ornamental " pieces based on the designs of Wright 's mentor, Louis Sullivan, and George Elmslie. Framed Wright architectural renderings and stencils of popular Wright motifs are also sold (in this area they are sold at Taliesin Bookstore in Spring Green, the Monona Terrace Gift Shop and Stevens Designs, 6333 University Ave., Middleton, or online at

www.prairie-arts.com).

AT A GLANCE

The Prairie Arts lecture, "Brand Architecture," will be presented in conjunction with the Taliesin School of Architecture in the Hillside Theater at Taliesin in Spring Green at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Admission is free.

For more information, call 608-588-2511, ext. 439.