Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Blogger Show Weekend

Brightness, 2007, Oil on Panel, 18x24

Well I meant to get this post up on Monday, however I had to get right to work Monday morning and that stretched into the whole day. No time to bask in the afterglow of our lovely weekend in NYC at all!

We left first thing Friday morning, but still managed to get to the city later than intended. I did a quick change at the hotel and Doug and I met up with Mary and her family (Mary is as nice in person as she is on her blog, and her family is wonderful) at Doug's showroom in Soho and then I dragged them off to my gallery a few doors down to show off view a few of my paintings. We chatted some more at the showroom and then had a quick dinner before they had to leave to catch a show. Doug and I went back to our room at the Soho Grand (I splurged, ok, I admit that I always splurge, I am very spoiled when it comes to hotels, so sue me) where were we watched tv and fell asleep by 10pm. Woo-hoo.

On Saturday I had hoped we would get down to Chelsea and visit a few galleries, but one of Doug's clients called and wanted to meet with him around noon. I decided to just walk around Soho, which is something I always enjoy doing and I visited all of my favorite little shops and galleries there. When I went back to the hotel there were a lot of paparazzi out front, they were there the whole weekend actually, but we never did find out who they were stalking looking for.

Finally we got to the opening and the first person we saw was Chris Rywalt, who gave me a big hug. While I am not really a hugger, I allowed this one (and actually I hugged and was hugged many times at this opening) because he wrote an awesome description about seeing my work for the first time and I was really feeling the love. Heh. I was very happy to meet his wife, Dawn, and I immediately liked her. Gradually I began to figure out who some of the other people were, after trying to connect blog photos with the real life in front of me and I have to say that I really got a kick out of introducing myself to people. I so enjoyed the recognition after I said my name (can you say shallow?), because it's so rare that anyone ever knows who I am. Anyway, I was pleased to be able to talk in person with so many of the people that I have read about over the last few years such as Sharon, Dan, Nancy, Stephanie, Susan, John, and my new best friend, Brent, who also said some nice things about my work and since I am easy, now I love him. Heh. A whole crowd of us went out for pizza after the opening ended and we all sat and chatted for hours. It was so much fun even if I did miss a few bloggers (Lisa, Steven, Martin) who couldn't make it to the opening.

Finally we all parted ways and Doug and I made our way back to the hotel. We decided to have a drink in the hotel lounge with all of the ultra cool, fashionable and thin people. We were perched seated at a tiny little table and chair set behind a couch with a couple on it who were making out about an inch away from my elbow. The music got noticeably louder every ten minutes and the only time we felt even remotely cool was when we told the (very cute) waiter that yes, we were staying at the hotel and please add the charge to our room. Oh and did I mention that we were by far the oldest people in the bar? We were.

On Sunday morning we had a great breakfast at a restaurant near the showroom and after buying a $27 dollar, 9 piece box of truffles with ingredients such as chili peppers, fennel, wasabi and paprika, for our babysitter, we headed home. While we were in the city, I was pretty sure I wanted to live there permanently, conveniently ignoring the financial ridiculousness of that ever happening. But all that was a distant fantasy once we got home to the farm, our kids, pets and near freezing temperatures.

Happy to go, happy to come back. Ain't that the way.

Thank you to John and Susan, and to everyone who helped organize and hang the show. It looked wonderful!

14 comments:

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

Thank you for the blow by blow, sounds like everyone had a great time... congratulations!

Chris Rywalt said...

I must admit, Tracy, that I am not a hugger either. In fact I don't like being touched at all. Never have. We used to know this one woman who always hugged everyone when greeting them, and when she found out my aversion to it, she didn't stop, but she did make sure to say, "Oh, you don't like to be hugged," before making sure to hug me anyway. Drove me crazy.

I had to hug you, though, because I can't hug Van Gogh and I can't hug Rousseau. I want to hug you while I can.

Anonymous said...

We all had a lovely time last Friday, Tracy. It was a real pleasure to see your work in person - it's so much more beautiful and dimensional in real life. Thank you for taking the time to show us around.

-Mary

Tracy Helgeson said...

Hi Natalya, too much info? I did leave out the part about Gabriel Byrne (actor) sitting a few tables away from us at breakfast on Sunday, thinking that didn't really matter:)

I had to hug you, though, because I can't hug Van Gogh and I can't hug Rousseau. I want to hug you while I can.

Ok, Chris, if you keep saying things like that I will keep letting you hug me:)

Mary, we had a wonderful time too and I am happy to have seen your painting irl. Beautiful!

Christine DeCamp said...

I was anxiously awaiting your printed rendition of the Big Blog Show weekend, & I wasn't disappointed! Sounds like a great time was had by all--I hope that people sell some work as well. (That always helps) I love Chris saying he couldn't hug Van Gogh or Rousseau & wanted to hug you while he could! I would like to have hugged Rousseau especially--hope he's up there listening!
Christine
http://passionforpainting.blogspot.com

Chris Rywalt said...

Somehow, Christine, I'm not surprised you're a Rousseau fan.

Karen Jacobs said...

You write a great description of an obviously good time... the vibes are spreading...

Lisa Call said...

thanks for the blow by blow. I wish I could have been there also but add me to the list of the non-huggers. Are you in the video? I was trying to figure out which person was you.

Tracy Helgeson said...

Thanks Christine, and I would have liked to have hugged van Gogh and tell him to buck up and get it together. I think one piece had sold by the opening, hopefully at least a few more will too.

Thanks Karen, It definitely was a good opening.

Lisa, I spent most of the night keeping an eye on the guy with the camera, so I could keep away from him. I think there is one shot of me when he first scans the crowd, but it's the back of my head which is pretty nondescript:) I am slightly visible in two of the photographs on Susan's blog, my profile and then Doug is facing the camera. I did pose for a photo with Bill Gusky, and I pray that won't turn up somewhere.

Casey Klahn said...

You are the humble one, Tracy. I know the paparazzi were after you.

Seriously, I am happy you gave us the 411 on how the show went for you, and I hope you'll do more of these show reviews.

*Hugs*

Casey Klahn said...

Gotcha there with the comment hug! You're in for it now...

Is that knock at the door the sheriff with a hugger restraining order?

Tracy Helgeson said...

Casey, HA! Don't think that Doug and I didn't consider that possibility:)! No I am afraid the only time they even looked our way was to ask if we had a light.

And I am such a non hugger that I didn't even notice your cute little hugs until the 2nd comment came in. Nice try.

Anonymous said...

It was great meeting you, Tracy! All is good -- your prayers are answered (re: photo)

Hope you're staying warm up there in the frosty hinterlands -

Tracy Helgeson said...

Hi Bill! Thanks for burying the picture. I appreciate it. It was probably bad, right? I am not photogenic at all.