link here  | |  tools  |  share:
photo size: medium 640 new

Rick Tulka
recent  |  interesting  |  random  |  favorites  |  contacts  |  sets  |  tags:  
Mikhail Baryshnikov (1988)
Mikhail Baryshnikov (1988)

Autographs

I always found it interesting, with my “Autographs” project, how some drawings were signed quite quickly and others took some time. This one of Baryshnikov took a full year. I learned that one needed to be patient. There was never a deadline.

My “Autographs” project was something that I came up with and worked on during the 1980s and early 1990s. Basically I wanted to meet famous people and I did it for own enjoyment. What I would do is the drawing of the celebrity and then figure out how to get to them. Eventually I would get in contact with their secretary, assistant or manager and work through them. Some of the best people were the guys at the stage doors at Broadway shows. They loved my project and I would usually get to the star. Over the years I was able to get the autographs of President and Nancy Reagan (I just loved that my drawings were actually in the Oval Office), Al Hirschfeld, Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor, Malcom Forbes, Stephen Sondheim, Spike Lee, Mel Tormé, Paloma Picasso (I have a signed Picasso), Michael Jackson, Lucille Ball, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin and Jeremy Irons, to name a few.

I thought Baryshnikov would be a great subject and a good signature to get. At that time he was always being photographed around New York City with all of the “beautiful” people. And he was also an amazing dancer. As the project progressed I did end up with some great contacts. For this one I started with a call to the assistant of his good friend, Liza Minnelli. She gave me the name his assistant at The American Ballet Theatre. I called her and soon found myself in her office. She happily took my drawing and would get it signed. Months and months passed. “He’s busy.” “It’s safe here. I’ll get to it.” “We’re on tour.” A year later Baryshnikov opened on Broadway in “Metamorphosis.” Since I had so much good luck with the stage door guys at theaters I figured I would take that route. I got my drawing back and headed over to the theater. I met the guy at the stage door. Eventually I met Baryshnikov’s dresser and within the week the drawing was signed. The day I went to pick it up he was warming up and I couldn’t thank him in person. Sometimes that worked out, sometimes that didn’t. But, I got my autograph!

Side story. In 1973 my wife, Brenda, and I went on a High School trip, with a bunch of students, to Russia. A week in Moscow and Leningrad (as it was called then). The Russian tour guides took us around the cities to see the sites. In the evenings they brought us to cultural events. One evening we went to the ballet and saw a very modern ballet called, “The Creation of the World.” Many years later we found out that the dancer who played Adam was none other than Mikhail Baryshnikov before he defected.

You can see other “Autographs” drawing here: www.flickr.com/photos/leselect/albums/72157677401151292

© All Rights Reserved
Taken on: March 15, 2023
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with mikhail baryshnikov mikhail baryshnikov Everybody's photos tagged with caricature caricature Everybody's photos tagged with pencil pencil more » Everybody's photos tagged with drawing drawing « less
Sets appears in:   • Caricatures    • Tulka Illustration    more » • Autographs    « less
Stats: 8,828 views / 10 comments
Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: