Friday, July 17, 2009

R.I.P Ellie Frazetta


25 years ago I was a young college student who was slightly bored, and sort of depressed with certain situations, so on a whim I called information and got a phone number. After dialing I got to speak with Ellie Frazetta, of course I asked for Frank but that didn't happen. It was much to my fortune tho, that I did speak with her. It changed some of my views and kept me persuing my dream of drawing and painting.
In speaking with her I felt connected and over the past 25 years I have called and spoken with her, been to the museum, even got to meet Frank a couple of times and spend some time in his studio with him. As much of a thrill as the experiences with Frank were, I think the quiet times that I did get to spend talking with Ellie are my favourite memories.
I remember one trip to the musuem where while my wife Dana wandered about looking at the paintings, I sat on the patio overlooking the lake with Ellie just talking, we covered a lot of topics in that conversation, love, life, happiness, even talked a bit of art and Frank, but just sat a talked like 2 friends. Now I cannot claim that she and I were friends, since we had only met a few times, breifly spoken on the phone on occaision quite infrequently, but that is what it felt like to me, and that is what I will always remember and cherrish about the memories of a dream come true, the unexpected connection I felt with her the first time I spoke with her as a young kid from Georgia who made a phone call hoping to speak with his idol, and got something more. Meeting Frank was a dream come true, feeling close and sharing personal and intimate moments of conversation with Ellie was beyond a dream come true.
All our thoughts and prayers are with the Frazettas at this time of sorrow and loss. I know where I will meet her again and look forward to the day that I do. God bless you Ellie and see you again.
Tracy

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