Sunday, September 3, 2006

Andre Agassi



Milk, 2006, Oil on Panel, 12x12











I know I said I wasn't going to post all weekend, but I really just have to profess my love for Andre Agassi. I watched his final US Open today and must admit to getting a bit teary eyed.

I started following tennis around the time I met Doug and frankly my favorite players were (and still are, I am embarrassed to admit) the guys who I thought were cute. So there you are, I am SO shallow. Andre caught my eye, how could I miss him? The bleached blonde mullet, the bike shorts, the neon colored head bands (it was the eighties, after all). I have watched Andre grow up (he doesn't know it but we grew up together, I was just a bit ahead of him). For awhile, I was pretty sure that if he ever met me he would immediately fall in love with me, but alas, Doug came between us. Anyway, I felt proud of him for going from a brash, fashion-conscious teen who didn't seem to care whether he won or not, to a highly respected top ranked player, who finally did care, not just in the results but about his journey. The thing I have always respected most about him was that he always seemed to be a really gracious loser as well as a good winner too.

Certainly he will go through a transition to adjust to a life that doesn't revolve around the tennis tour, but I suspect he will be fine. I hope he feels excited about the next stage of his life, just as I did when I started painting again; it's exhilarating to have a whole new life in front of you.

Call me fickle, but now I am off to watch Roger Federer, uh, because I think he is really cute. Ok, ok, he could technically be my own son, and I am pretty sure he would call me "ma'am", or the Swiss equivalent if we met, but still.

11 comments:

william wray said...

Don't share the love for Andre, but do have it for this painting....

Jeffrey Hayes said...

Tennis... that's a sport thing, right?

Anyway, it's a beautiful painting.

Tracy Helgeson said...

Bill, I had a feeling that you might go for this painting. I have painted this scene, down the road from me several times, there is always something about it.

Jeff, yes, tennis is a sport, and believe me, it a only a spectator sport for me. I couldn't play tennis if my life depended on it. But I am in awe of those that can play.

Ed Maskevich said...

In college I used to play tennis a lot and paint. I still do the painting.

Karen Jacobs said...

May I borrow that neat signage on the first barn? Always looking for interesting caligraphic marks ;-)

Tracy Helgeson said...

Hi Ed, glad you kept up with the painting.

Karen, Of course you can have the sign, I'll trade for the marquee with your name on it! Anyway, it's just an old Milk sign, designed to support farmers and convince us humans that we need to drink cow's milk.

meno said...

I used to think that Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors were 2be 2gether 4ever. That's how long ago i started watching tennis.
Andre really is cool. He developed in a classy, hard working, cute man. But you are wrong about him falling for you. It would have been me, despite the (very slight) age difference, i know it.

Tracy Helgeson said...

You may be right, Meno, he does seem to go for tall girls, and I can't compete with that:-)

tlwest said...

Tennis? hehehe I used to play until my husband beat me (hE NEVER PLAYED oNCE BEFORE THAT) Turns out I was preggo and thats why I was huffing and puffing and feeling errr sick...No rematch yet. 20 years later...I will just let him think he beat me...

Anonymous said...

You mean you don't 'love' Donny Osmond anymore?? =)

Ed Terpening said...

Imagine having a profession where you have to retire so early? It's heart-breaking, really. As artists, we have a lot longer to follow our chosen path.