Meeting Your Favorite Artist who Turns Out to be a Mensch - Part 2
Part 2
We moved back to Colorado in 2013. After 23 wet years we looked at each other and wondered why we were still in the Pacific Northwest.
We missed the sun, the Rocky Mountains, warm days, the sun! Within a year we sold our beloved home in the actual forest, surrounded by actual cedar and alder trees. Ok, it was green and beautiful up there. We felt like wood elves from a Tolkien story. Sometimes, though, being a wood elf isn't enough. What about the Hobbits?
Now we live on a 40-acre parcel with our family of cats, dogs and horses (always in that order), on the eastern plains of Colorado with fabulous views of the Rocky Mountains. Colorado is heaven. Ask anyone who lives here. (A wood elf might disagree.)
We are steadily building our fan base of clients who come to us for some much needed compassion and empathy. Ashara and I are Master Gestaltists, as are our horses (although being more evolved than us, they didn't have to go to school for four years). More on this another time.
Back to the main thread of this blog - Roger Dean.
Dateline: Oct 23, 2023 Classic Tales of Yes at The Paramount Theater, Denver, CO.
Special event: Roger Dean Live Art Exhibition (oh, be still my jitter bugging heart!)
Bought two tickets and invited my friend Peter to join me. We’ve been to several Yes concerts over the past ten years.
He’s a fan. I’m the geek.
The Paramount opened in 1930 as a movie theatre, part of the Paramount-Publix Theatre Circuit, the exhibition arm of Paramount Pictures. It is a wonderful 2-story art deco style theater.
The second floor has an open area for congregating with friends and family prior to the event. This is where Trading Boundaries (a UK-based art gallery) and Roger Dean staged his art to ogle (drool?) over and of course buy. For several hundred (and more) pound notes, or the US equivalent, anyone could purchase their favorite piece of art. Small items to very large prints were out for discovery and sale.
I was most interested in seeing all the art and getting an autograph from Roger Dean in one of his art books, ’Views’. I cherish that book. I got in line while Peter walked around the open space with what felt like hundreds of other people. I opened my book to a two-page spread of my favorite piece of Roger’s art titled, ‘Awaken’.
The line moved slowly as people talked and collected autographs of their own. One guy carried like 125 vinyl albums with him. Finally, it was my turn to visit with Roger. I (re)introduced myself and mentioned we met years prior in Seattle. He remembered the show, the venue and his stage set. We chatted for a few minutes more, me being very cognizant of the growing line of people wanting their turn with this very generous man who welcomed all of us.
I asked him for his autograph on the page I had ready. He signed my book, I thanked him, we shook hands, and I moved on with a big smile and a full heart.
Too many people for leaking eyes. I caught up with Peter and we looked at the art before the concert. As we walked around I spied a copy of Awaken on the wall, and noticed it was for sale. I stood transfixed for an eternity having a two-way repartee with myself.
“Could I buy it?”
“YES!” (Pun intended)
“Should I buy it?”
“UH…..UH…..” feeling the credit card in my wallet practically leaping out.
“Hold on, bub. We have a furnace that’s DYING and must be replaced. SOON!”
“Yes, and ??? This would make a GREAT birthday present to myself.”
“Uh, huh. Leave now and never come BACK!”
“Gollum, Gollum.”
Peter and I went into the theater, enjoyed the Yes show, left the city for home and never saw the artwork again.
Very sad.
My eyes leaked.
Part 3 coming soon!
