Books, movies and music are a very great part of my life. I have named many pieces after the characters from books, movies and music. There is also another category called Entertainers and these two can be intertwined to some extent.

Belle . . . Named after the character from Beauty and The Beast. She always had her nose stuck in a book, as the song said. (I do, too!)

 

Cherry Ames . . . Cherry was a character from my childhood. I read all of the Cherry Ames books as a child. She was a nurse and she also solved mysteries . . . a detective with a nursing degree! Hallmark TV would have loved her. A salute to all nurses. She had black hair and her cheeks were cherry red. This is my dedication to her.

 

Christine . . . Based on the lead character from Phantom of the Opera.

 

Dulcinea . . . She was named after a character from Man of Lamancha. The story about her teaches that everyone needs their Dulcinea. Their dreams, their hopes . . . even though Dulcinea is only made of flame and air.

 

Gail . . . When I finished this piece I was struck by how much she resembled the actress Gail Russell. So she became Gail.

 

Galina . . . This character was taken from a book called Summer of Barshinskys. The character of Galina was very memorable.

 

Gigi . . . This name was taken from the play and movie by Lerner and Lowe.

 

Gilda . . . Gilda, of course, was named in honor of Rita Hayworth’s Gilda.  Rita never had the confidence she should have had. She was a talented but insecure beauty.

 

Grace . . . Grace was created in honor of Grace Kelly. It is called Hindsight. I have always wondered if Grace was sorry that she gave up her brilliant film career. A princess or an actress . . . a heady choice.

 

Harlow . . . These pieces (the mask and glitter pieces) reminded me of the one and only Jean Harlow. The glitter canvas of Jean was created in honor of her. She died too soon but she left her legacy.

 

Helen. . .Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships.

 

Ipanema. . . When I was young I wanted to be like The Girl from Ipanema. Tall, thin and tan but I was a red head with milk white skin. The most wonderful thing about the sun for me was when it set, because sunset is my favorite time of day. I love it. That’s when the music goes on and I do art. Well, Ipanema reminded me of my girlhood fantasy of womanhood. I wonder what happened to her. My art piece will remain the same forever . . . I hope.

 

Jupiter’s Darling . . . There was an Esther Williams movie called Jupiter’s Darling. I love Esther Williams and her films. They just make me feel good. So, this was named after Jupiter’s Darling . . . all Jupiter’s Darlings.

 

Katherine . . . This piece reminded me of Elizabeth Taylor’s Katherine in The Taming of the Shrew. Her dress, her hair, it just gave me that feeling.

 

La Madame of the West . . . Polly. . . This piece was named after famed Madame, Polly Adler. I had heard of her when I was a teenager. This piece, well, it just spoke to me.

 

Laetitia and the Frog Prince . . . I read the story of The Frog Prince as a child. This piece was named after the girl in that story and the name Laetitia came from fashion model, Laetitia Casta.

 

The Little House on the Prairie . . . One of my first pieces. This piece just looked like a little house on the prairie and besides, I love Michael Landon.

 

Lori . . . Lori is also part of the Angel section. She reminded me of actress, producer Lori Singer.

 

Lovely Catherine . . .This one reminded me of Catherine Zeta Jones. One of my favorite posters of Catherine Zeta Jones is of her in Zorro brandishing the sword. Gorgeous.

 

Marilyn . . . Monroe – What more can anyone say.

 

Masquerade . . . I love this one. It too reminded me of The Phantom of the Opera and the song, Masquerade.

 

Miss Saigon . . . A brilliant show. I saw Jonathan Pryce in this and he was brilliant. So poignant. Vietnam . . . it changed so many lives in my generation. The play was wonderful. My art is just a small token.

 

Nell . . . I love history, especially European history and I have my favorite Kings and Queens. Henry IV of France was my first favorite and Charles II of England came in second. Charles was a charismatic and brilliant man, but he was tarnished and compromised. He never had it easy but Nell Gwyn was one of his many mistresses.

 

Once Upon A Time . . . Isn’t everything “once upon a time”? All life. Stephen Sondheim wrote in the Broadway show, Follies, that we always think we want what is in the past and yet if we actually went back to the past, would it be as wonderful as we remember? Time embellishes memories.

 

Pamela . . . Pamela Anderson. There is nothing else to say.

 

Passionata . . . My favorite song number, and I have several favorites, from Burn The Floor but Passionata is a version of Carmen and this piece was named after that. Burn The Floor ultimately became a ballroom dance video with wonderful music and dancing. I would recommend it to anyone who loves ballroom dance. They’ll never forget it.

 

Queen Eleanora . . . This just seemed like a good name for her.

 

Rowena . . . Once of my earliest pieces.

 

Salome . . . The dance of the seven veils. No mystery there.

 

Snow White . . . My first piece and I learned so much from this (like what to do and not to do) I was persuaded to enter her in this collection but someday I hope to do another version of her.

 

Thalia . . . Named after Thalia Meninger from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis TV Show. She was played by Tuesday Weld.

 

The Kitchen God’s Wife . . . This was named after the character of the book but frankly, my daughter named it for me.

 

Titania . . . After Titania in Shakespeare.

 

Titania Rose . . . I think I really must have liked the name and with all the roses, well, as you can see.

 

Tondelayo – This was named after Hedy Lamarr’s character in the movie White Cargo. Hedy was beautiful and smart. Her inventions are a part of today’s technology.

 

Wendy . . . Peter Pan’s Wendy. His true love caught in their time warp.

 

Winalee by the Sea . . . Several years back I read a book, A Life of Bright Ideas. The lead character was a young girl named Winalee.  She was so unique I knew I had to name a piece after her.

 

Yellow Brick Road . . . Anyone care to hazard a guess?