Who Will Make Us PROUD AGAIN?

Hopefully by this weekend, I’ll have another painting and blog segment for you, but this is a quick thing I wanted to share.

Yesterday I was sorting through some memorabilia that I’ve kept over the years. George was just one of the magazines I purchased for my clients when I was working. For some unknown reason, when my new George arrived, rather than tossing this one, I took it home and put it in my ‘keep’ box.

I’m sure you know this was a publication that was created by John Kennedy, Jr.
(To the left was the cover for the first publication)

Critics called George "the political magazine for people who don't understand politics", assailing it for "stripping any and all discussion of political issues from its coverage of politics".

But, as we have all learned to well- critics are politically partisan driven creatures in themselves.

As I looked at the cover yesterday, I found the title prophetic and startling. This specific publication was released August, 2000. John Jr. had died in the plane crash exactly one year prior (Aug/1999). Clinton had already been disgraced with his sex scandal. The Bush’s regime was beginning and 9/11 was on the horizon.

So, this August 2000 publication was produced by the people who worked with/for John Jr. It was tribute to President Kennedy and discussed all the presidents that followed him. The magazine’s date of release also commemorated the anniversary of the death of the man we knew as 'John John.'

Interesting, huh?

The magazine ceased publication in early 2001.
The cover made me a bit tearful and all I could think was, ‘We’ve been working on it, John John. We’ve really been working on it.”
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How does the cover affect you?

Vikki

Please visit The Red Chair Gallery

The Aussie

This is a young woman I’ve recently become familiar with. She’s Australian and works as a journalist for a Sydney Newspaper.

She wears her hair in what other women might call a butch style. You’d never find makeup or a curling iron in this gal’s bathroom. She’s the type that showers, runs a comb through her hair, puts on some comfortable jeans, a t-shirt, throws a backpack over her shoulder and she’s ready for the day.

You really wouldn’t define her as beautiful in the classic sense of beauty- yet she’s extremely attractive in a way few women can be. For instance she hates her nose. (Her mother called it ‘aristocratic.’ ) So what! She’s so confident, a little thing like ‘a nose’ isn’t going to slow her down for second much less define her.

She’s a tough girl. She has to be because of her job. But -I think she’d be that way no matter what she did.

Short in stature, she has enough impudence to take down the biggest men and drink the worst of them under table. She’ll take on anyone.

She goes through life fearlessly and has taken me on quite an adventure. Although, she does have a problem: She has no clue who her father is and her mother’s life is mystery. All of that is what we’ve been trying to figure out.

As I’ve gone along with her, spine chilling secrets and life threatening drama is unfolding before us. We’ve gone into the outback of Australian and met some frightening and pretty dangerous people. There have been some good guys along the way, but this is not a journey for the timid or weak of heart.

She goes by the nickname ‘Pip’. Oh, I guess I should have said- the drawing and description is how I envision Pip. I haven’t actually met her and don’t know if this is how she’d really look. Pip is the main character in the latest novel, created by an accomplished Australian (now retired) Journalist, June Saville. She’s allowing her readers to sit with her as she works.

I dare you to read the first two segments and not become totally addicted.

I’m most flattered that June is also one of my readers. She doesn’t know I did a conceptual drawing of Pip. I think I’ll just let her discover without any prompting. I prey I’ve captured Pip- but it will be interesting, huh?

Vikki
This is the link to June’s blog:
http://journeysincreativewriting.blogspot.com/
Start at the beginning. Chapter 1 of the story starts in November. You’ll figure it out.
And as always -please visit The Red Chair Gallery.

The picture (directly above right) is the new Pip with some very minor Rhinoplasty. Hey- girls have the right!