As a producer with CBS and Hal Tolchen, my mom had the chance to meet Tina Turner at the King of the Gypsies wrap party. Mom was an associate producer on the film, which starred Eric Roberts and Susan Sarandon. This was in 1978. My mother recalled that Turner was deeply insecure and lacked confidence. Ms Turner repeatedly checked in with my mom to make sure she was doing everything right, acting right, looking good, etc. My mom was floored, because, to her, Tina Turner was the strong, independent, superpower Turner projected on stage. Underneath that image was a traumatized person with low self esteem. My mom was a good producer and a great mentor to the actors she worked with. I'm not sure of the circumstances, but Turner might have had a role in the film that didn't make it to print. I cannot find anything online linking Turner to the film except for the afterparty. I do know that my mom reminded Turned of what an incredible artist she was, and what an inspiration she was to my mom, who was a single mother at the time. I usually don't feel the desire to preface my posts, but in this case, I will say that, I chose "Ready for Love" by Bad Company because Turner went on to marry a man who loved her deeply. They lived in Switzerland and enjoyed a beautiful life together until her death - a life she so richly deserved.

When I was 29 and all the world was in front of me and I was unselfconscious and world-building. Internally, I built worlds of sound, color, and sensory perceptions. Externally, I lost myself in creating simple passions against stark backgrounds. This is a metaphor, of course, but it is also visually accurate. I went to the Hartford Civic Center that year and bought 3 prints:

I just thought this trio worked very well together. It prompts a conversation. I have always loved orange. "Flaming June" was such a young and optimistic choice. Full of passion and lust and celebration, but now I see it as commercial, overdone, and possibly, in many a sullen girl's college dorm room. I still stand by the Rothko and the Sadler.