I quit my day job. It was PR. High profile. For an awesome boss, awesome company, awesome clients. But I just wanted something else.
Flying free was scary. Without family, literally on my own, not having a day job was a big leap. I had saved up a bit but wasn’t comfortable without any income so went to work at my local yoga studio, hoping I could get a little spending money cushion, and yes, some free classes.
I met a lot of great people. They taught Pilates and Gyrotonic there, so a lot of dancers were around. I met some cool people—clients and staff. I befriended the breathtakingly talented dancer Javier of Dzul Dance. I befriended two instructors who are among my closest friends, one who lead the yoga retreat to Nicaragua earlier this year, and one whose wedding I am thrilled to attend this weekend.
And I befriended Mark. My first day, we worked the front desk together. He had one of the best energies around and was always trying new things. It was actually he who introduced me to UCB and lead me to my 2 years in a life-changing acting class.
We were all in transition. Well, I guess we always are, but that was a pivotal time. Mark was just getting started in photography then. And so was my man, Matt. Also around this time, I met a woman from PR days whose boss was our client. Her best friend, Kevin, worked at MTV but was also beginning to pursue photography.
And so, flash forward to 2011 at the fabulous Take Home a Nude annual gala at Sotheby’s.
I have the pleasure of seeing Mark shooting away on assignment for WireImage. Now, a photojournalist and event specialist for New York’s high profile events. I see him every so often, but it’s been a while. It was such a nice surprise.
As we chatted, Kevin walked by. Mark and Kevin it turns out, know each other from the fashion event world. Kevin has gone on to become a sought after fashion events photographer who is making a name for himself most recently doing coverage at Fashion Week for Vogue and lots of of other fab fashiony outlets. His big break came when he went on tour with the Scissor Sisters. Pretty cool.
Kevin was at Take Home a Nude because he had a piece in the show. As did my Matt. Matt has gone a completely different route. His pursuit is fine art photography. He painstakingly pours over his work to create surreal landscapes of imagery. His work recently got picked up by the gallery, The Works.
All of them doing cool things, hopefully on to do more great things, all a little related, yet totally different, all making strides in their own way, and all connected in that New York it’s-a-small-world way. And happily for me, all connected to me.
There were celebs around, good New York people watching, and pretty special art works at auction. But the highlight for me, besides Matt’s piece having numerous bidders, was seeing the evolution of Matt, Kevin, and Mark—a brilliant convergence of three paths.
Check out the boys: