No Dear John

This is a Fantasy picture. The Marine outside the window represents a self-portrait, not in physical likeness, but in memories of the loneliness in Vietnam. Thinking of my girl back home. And she, waiting for me. I didn't get a "Dear John" letter. Got a note or letter or card every day. And we're still married. Married in 1969.

Oils on canvas
12 x 24"
1986

Quote from "Atlas Shrugged":

[Understand that even though the sex is different in the quote, the way the girl stands is inspired by this description.]

"...stood thrown back against a table, clasping the edge behind him, not to support himself, but to stop his own hands. She saw the rigid stillness of his body, a body that was pulled too straight but seemed broken, with the slight, unnatural angles of his waistline and shoulders, with his arms held stiff but slanted back--he stood as if the effort not to move were turning the force of his violence against himself, as if the motion he resisted were running through his muscles as a tearing pain. She saw his convulsed fingers struggling to grow fast to the table's edge...."

p. 640 (HB)

This is my wife's body at age 25 from a photo I took in B&W. She's blond, but I used dark hair like a Vietnamese girl just to make the rather complex theme more interesting.

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This has been up for a while. Trying to figure out the ratio for a requested print. This from a man who can barely remember how to do long division. The old image, when submitted as a print, was cropped so badly in the print shop I have to start over. Will keep trying....