Sunday 18 April 2010

Surprised, Shocked, and Thankful

 

How do you say “thank you” when your design community is saying “thank you” to you?  I guess you can say “my pleasure”, but then I still feel as though, I have to say “thank you” back.

 

Tuesday, the 13th of April, 2010 – What a date!, definitely a day to remember.  Why is that? you may ask; well, I had a surprise thank you party thrown for me with 40 of my favourite colleagues in Victoria.  Interior Designer Michelle Matte and Artist John Wolfe from Wolf Decorative Finishes coordinated and put together a stunning surprise party at Veneto for me to say thank you for my support to our local design community.  The place was beautifully decorated by Tara McHugh Flora, Tara was one of the first members of Meade Design Group when I started and now she is a very successful fleur couturier and in my opinion one of the best in the city.   I couldn’t believe there were more than 40 colleagues there to say thank you – I said my pleasure, but now I have to say once again - Thank you!! for making me feel so appreciated.

 

image Colleen Buker & Myself

 

imageThe Crowd

 

IMG_5105The Crowd

 

I was overwhelmed as this was a big surprise – when I arrived to the restaurant people yelled “SURPRISE!”, and I was thinking – today is not my birthday, I have not won anything,… what’s going on? The room was full of both familiar faces and faces that I didn’t know (but now I do have the pleasure of knowing them, of course) all of them saying “THANK YOU!”.  Gratitude is a strange word in our life, we hardly ever use it.  We live day-by-day too fast, and when we remember it is night again.

 

IMG_5097 Flowers by Tara McHugh Flora

  IMG_5099 Flowers by Tara McHugh Flora

 

IMG_5095 Flowers by Tara McHugh Flora

 

I also have to say I could never do as much as I do without the team that has supported me in my 8 year career in Victoria.  Starting with Jeff Michaud my partner, Tara McHugh (the corsage and those flowers were amazing!), Mr. Greg Young (RIP), Miz  T -Tiffany Jade Briscoe, Miz Bobbie Cann, Sarita, and my right hand Echito Eaton-Thorn.

 

clip_image001Myself & Tara McHugh (Tarita Tomato)

 

IMG_5117 Murray, Liz Mackay, Josée Lalonde

 

IMG_5121Kyla Bidgood, Gillian Ley, Myself,

Amber Kingsnorth, & Michelle Morelan

 

IMG_5122 Myself & Brenda Marks

 

A very very special THANK YOU to … Michelle Matte and John Wolf Decorative Finishes, Colleen Buker, Gillian Ley, Antonieta D’Introno, Jenny Martin, Sandy & Dawn from Nygaard Interior Design, Ross Taylor and Amber Leask from Gabriel Ross, Julia Roemer, Delores & Andy from Running with Scissors, Sarah & Scott McNeill, Amber Kingsnorth and Kyla Bidgood from Inoui Design Collective, Michelle Morelan who came all the way from Vancouver, Artist Birgit Piskor, Susan Hargraves, Liz Mackay, Josée Lalonde, Murray, Teresa Ryback & Kelly Moir from TD Swansburg, Pamela and Zech from European Flooring, Lindsay Hill and Pam from Kimberly Williams, Dianne Kennedy, Dimitri Maekawa from Axis Design, Josh Terry from Allegro Painting, Brenda Marks from Kravet & Tritex, Heather Draper and Ben Brannen from Bespoke, Amanda Forrest for her kind note,  and Jeff Michaud & Echo Eaton from Meade Design Group for this incredible surprise.

 

Photographs by Tara McHugh & Heather Draper



MEADE DESIGN GROUP - THE BLOG. Copyright 2007-2011

13 comments:

Jeff said...

It was a fantastic event and everyone had a great time. Ivan was truly surprised and I've never seen him so shocked and content.

The Victoria designers and trades are truly starting to become a community that supports and communicates with each other. Thanks again to Michelle Matte for organizing.

Ivan you deserved the positive recognition and I know that it will invigorate you to continue your supportive and promotion efforts of our local talents and resources.

DesignTies said...

How wonderful for you, Ivan... congratulations for the accolades!! And how equally wonderful that the Victoria design community is so supportive of one another!
Victoria

Dale said...

Wow how terrific. You must be one special man Ivan! :)

Karena said...

Ivan, congarulations, you truly deserve it. Those who support and encourage the community of other architects, interior designers, and artists of all kinds, have huge generosity of spirit!

I have a new post and interview up I think you will enjoy!

Karena
Art by Karena

DecRenew Interiors said...

Sounds like you are loved! Love all the florals! Fun that you were suprised. I always wonder how often they really are a suprise.

Ruthie

Koo and Poppet said...

You are so loved Ivancito!
it was a great event and you were the deserving guest of honour. You invest so much of your own time in helping to support and promote local talent. kuddos to you! xo
~Sarita

qerat said...

Ivan you have selflessly given the community in Canada and abroad, you have given recognition and appareciation to many designers, you have helped us meet so many talents through your blog, you now deserve the be thanked. Since I could not be there in person, I will say it in a comment. Thank you.

Alice Young said...

Couldn't have happened to a nicer - or more deserving guy!

Echo said...

It was indeed fabulous and well-deserved, what more can I say!?

As everyone else has already said/proven, "you are loved"!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who was a part of the event, I am proud to be even a small part of it all!

Michelle said...

It was so nice to meet some of the people you are always giving such high regards...exactly the reason you were the man of the hour...or two!! It was fun to take the afternoon off...I so miss Victoria!

Best,
Michelle

Amber Kingsnorth said...

What a great event! Thank you so much for everything you've done for Victoria's design community and of course, for us and our new business. You're a gem!

Kyla & Amber
Inoui Design Collective

MIchelle Matte said...

Ivan you are such a generous, caring and talented person! I know you have inspired me in so so many ways to be a better person. Thank you.

So glad you had a great night!

Unknown said...

Dearest Ivan
I am so sorry that I was not able to attend this well deserved tribute to you. You have given so much of yourself to all of us. I have personally and professionally benefited from having you in my life my dear friend.

Patricia