About
He goes to school and gets a degree in art, is color blind, and now handles all the legal schmegal and accounting for our company… and seems okay being immersed in “estrogen hell” as he calls it every day. (Thank God!!). I, on the other hand, went to Europe for a few years after high school and was humbled… I was there to model, but good Lord… every time I got to one of those cattle calls with the 9-foot tall smashing amazons… well, you know how that part goes! Happy to be!! And now we create and sell pretty things that make a lot of people smile!
Luckily I have been making things since I was a kid, so when John and I met in Chicago and realized entrepreneurship was to be our calling (and once we realized that being the Bloody Mary king and queen of the beverage world wasn’t going to be our start up) things really started clicking!!!
For some lovely reason, when we began our company, we felt (and still do) that anything was possible. We could do and be anything we wanted to be (a huge thank you to our parents). Never having owned a business, we truly started things at an oddly stressful yet blissful time in our lives… just married, moved to Wisconsin, zero cash-ola to our names (well, less than that, really… credit card debt and all!)… and entirely jobless. But by golly, we were determined! And really, what was the fall back position?!
We began in a chicken coop (yes, really) with no heat, so my paints were kept under electric blankets, and John would get up at the crack of dawn and start the wood burning stove. (I know all of this sounds terribly romantic, but at the time, all I was thinking was, “Please God, don’t let Neiman Marcus come and visit us here!”) Everything we did was by trial and error. We say YES to nearly every request just to stay in business. Thank goodness people loved what we did and immediately started to collect our wares. In fact, to this day as I travel about, people will tell me that they have followed us since the beginning and still collect the things we create. (Thank you so very much!!!)
We now have a really cool studio in downtown Ripon, Wisconsin… a lovely college town that has taken us in as only family would. We have an awesome team of incredibly passionate people working for us, none of whom have a background in anything that we do. But as I always say, it’s really your attitude that matters the most. This is a totally can-do bunch… Truly, there is nothing we can’t do together, just you wait!!! We continue to dream up beautiful products, and then dream about other things we want to do as well… Little by little we chip away at those so that they too will happen!
I always tell people that I’m not really sure how anyone in this world gets a big ego. I find business and life to be deliciously humbling. I think maybe that’s why we are able to keep our minds open… always walking on the edge, if you will… trying to be as fearless as we can be while staying rooted in reality.
Oh, and by the way, I am terribly verbose! This is my short version… It took all I have to not keep rambling on here, as I feel like you are sitting right here with me…
Thank you again for being as passionate about what we do as we are… We all want to keep our day jobs!!!
Labels: more Tracy Porter
Reader Comments
Tracy,
I love your website! I read it every day. In your video I see a wall that you use to put your tear sheets and inspiration on. I believe it is magnetic? Can you tell me where to find this material?
Thank you,
Lisa
Tracy, I look forward to your daily videos and enjoy your spirit about life, decorating and fashion. I have two ?s, do you have help with dusting (dusting ranks pretty high on the list of cleaning pet peeves) and I love the song in your video “Our Journey”, who is the artist. Thanks and keep the videos coming!
Kristen
Tracy,
When is your birthday?
Gracie
Hi Tracy and Gang,
Your videos add a happy note to my day and I love the recipes. I tried the one for Cherry Clafoutis, only I used blueberries and strawberries instead of cherries because I didn’t have any. I love it, and what a decedent way to get your fruit! It’s really good if you put a couple dips of vanilla ice cream on top and warm it in the micro. The ice cream melts and the clafoutis gets all warm and gooey. Indescribably yummy! Also the Savory Bread Pudding would be great to replace traditional (and sometimes boring) stuffing at thanksgiving.
I love your videos, recipes, decorating tips, treasures, craft ideas, fashion, jewelry and the videos with John and the boys. I just have one suggestion, I don’t know some of the people on the videos, like Sarah and some of the other girls. Maybe you could do a “get acquainted” video and they could all tell us a little about themselves.
For several years I worked for the Patrick and Co. showroom in Dallas and sold your line. I set up Tracy Porter Galleries in gift shops in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. I gave the shops an exclusive with a $5000 initial order and during market they were lined up for the honor of becoming a prestigious “Tracy Porter Gallery.” Then I did trunk shows for each of my galleries after they got their initial orders. (The manufacturer was Zrike.) What fun that was! It was 1998-2000.
Tracy, ten years ago I visited you one Saturday morning in Wisconsin and you rolled out the red carpet for me and gave me a tour of the farmhouse and the shop downtown. I met John and also your mother and sister who were working in the shop. We did photos and talked all morning. What a fun day and one of the great memories of my life. That was in 1999 before you had the boys. I’m no longer a rep, but I loved it while I was doing it. Thanks for the great website and newsletters and videos. Keep em coming!
Sondra Kemnitzer
Harrah, Oklahoma
Just to let you know that because of you I am newly inspired!!! Your site is my daily dose of inspiration for life!! Thank you for all you do.
I love the intro song to your videos “I’ve got the World in my Arms” Who is the artist and what is the name of the song?
Yes, please! What is the name of the song and who is the artist? I’m driving myself slightly nutty trying to find it online. LOVE the videos and the song! Thanks so much for all that you do!
Hi Tracy!
I love your website!! My sister and I would like to sell our honey product online, but have no idea where to begin. You are such an inspiration to women like us, with big dreams and high hopes (but small purses!!) Can you please tell us who your web designer is or the resources you used to create it yourself? We would appreciate any advice you can offer to help us get started.
Thank you so much
Erin
PS We also LOVE your products….your taste is exquisite!!!
Tracy,
This is an amazing site! I love your works, and looking at others posted here. I have a knack for style and fashion, but my parents will never let me show it. I’m not allowed to “destroy” the “perfectly nice” clothes we buy off the clearance rack. Your website though, reminds we that there is still hope in the future! Keep you the good work!
-kAR
Hi Tracy,
You are so awesome. I share in what everyone above has said about you and more…if there is anything else wonderful to say :’) I have some of your dinnerware collections, and I am hooked for life. So thank you for being you and so available to us. I do have a question or you. What primer do you use on your face? I saw the makeup video and was wondering if you can say. Your skin is quite a testimonial. Thank you so much for sharing you life with us.
Laurie in Connecticut
& Martha’s Vineyard
Tracy,
Can I just tell you that I have been a fan for years! I used to go and look at your handpainted furniture and just be in awe. I LOVED it. I wish I would have bought a dining room set in it. I have some of your books and they have always inspired color in my life. One of these days, I WILL paint some anaglypta (spelling?) as boldly as you did. THanks so much for sharing your creativity.
Best,
Angela HEnrie
Tracy,
Hi. I have a little problem. I’ve been seeing this woman for a couple of months now, and we’ve been through some rough stuff, but this problem has really put me in the doghouse. I had made dinner over at her house. When I was finishing up cleaning the dishes, there was one salad plate that slipped and fell onto the floor. I admit, I knew nothing about you before that plate broke, but afterwards, I found out that it was one of my girlfriend’s prized dinnerware set, something that might sound familiar to you, the Lotus Collection by Tracy Porter. She was so mad; I was surprised she didn’t throw me out immediately. I’ve been searching all over the internet for a replacement, but those things are difficult to find. I found a dinner plate on one website, two others on ebay, a cake plate and three serving dishes from that collection, but no salad plate. She did admit that a couple of the bowls she had also had chips missing, but this plate was smashed. If you could be so kind as to tell me where to find a replacement salad plate, or better yet a full collection, I would be so happy. Also, I am not a man of money; so, if you could tell me places to find this dinnerware solution inexpensively, that would be even better.
Thanks,
Don Upton
Hi Tracy,
I have been very intrigued by your Artisian Road collection. I was just wondering, were you ever considering adding to the collection a cup and saucer portion. I was considering purchasing this set for my guests when they join me for coffee but I just didnt know how I would give them any coffee without coffee cups to complete the picture. Thank you for your time.