I spent Monday evening at the Charter Oak Vision Awards Gala in Hartford, CT. Returning to these events in the city where I lived and worked for many years always combines meeting former friends and strangers who have all gathered for a shared reason. In this case, supporting a critical arts organization that is facing this dire time for arts funding in the United States with celebration and hope for the future.
Our beloved friend, Tao Laboissiere, was honored at the event. Tao was an iconic muralist in Hartford and beyond, he was a mentor to many, many artists, and he was generous with his time and his talent to many organizations, churches, schools, and friends. He was gone much too soon. When he was alive, I referred to him as “the hardest working artist in America.” And I am so glad he was, because we have so much of his artistic legacy to enjoy — and I will always grieve the art that we lost with his passing.
We closed the evening with mutual friends of mine and Jim’s, of Tao and Amy’s. One of the friends married Tao and Amy at their surprise wedding one Valentine’s day. Jim was asked to be best man on the spot. He did great. When Jim and I asked Tao to be our best man, we knew it was going to be hard. He hated public speaking. But he really wanted to do it for us. And he did, and he did great.
With my heart full, I invite you all to think about the legacy of work and love you will leave behind. How will your friends and strangers remember you? You have more power than you think to shape that legacy. I also invite you to reconnect with old friends — drop a line, grab a coffee, have a chat and catch up.