Wrightson/Jusko - Reflection - Preliminary to a painting that may one day be!!! Jusko Update 7/10/2014

Update 1/23/2018

I stumble across Joe Jusko's completed "THINGS IN THE NIGHT", which is his finalized version of this artwork, and will be included in the upcoming "Bernie Wrightson Tribute". See additional images, it's a great piece...

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Recently, I purchased Bernie's FAA Issue 2, Page 13 lab scene, and Joe Jusko kindly left a very positive message as a comment for the art. While browsing Joe's work (Joe came on to the scene during my 35 year art hiatus), I stumbled across this Wrightson art in his gallery, and expressed an interest in my comment if he ever decided to part with the art.

Pleasantly surprised, Joe contacted me a few days later and appreciated my devotion as a Wrightson fan and offered to sell me "Reflection". He also went on to explain their intent was to collaborate, Bernie doing the monsters in the background, and Joe to finish the girl, with this inevitably becoming a collaborative painting.

During the course of our emails and price arrangement, I had asked Joe if he would consider roughing in/finishing the girl. At first he was hesitant to alter Bernie's art, and while I appreciate the blocked in version in Bernie's original (Blocked in was a new term for me), the piece would have forever remained unfinished.

After double checking and triple checking with me, Joe agreed to finish the girl, but told me his vision of the girl was to be a "Jusko Girl" and the pose in his vision was quite different than the blocked in girl done my Wrightson. He wasn't trying to talk me out of it, but he wasn't trying to talk me into it either.

Now, admittedly, I didn't really know what "Jusko Girl" meant, but now that I have looked at quite a bit of Joe's art, I think the term "Dream Girl" and "Jusko Girl" must have similar meanings, and Joe's vision of Barbara Eden with the "I Dream of Jeanie", was definitely spot on to the dreams I remember! :)

Anyway, for now I have titled the piece Wrightson/Jusko, and will move this original picture to the additional photos once I receive the art. It will be as much a surprise for me, as anyone else who comes back to see the finished work.

I am a devoted Wrightson fan, but as much as I appreciate Bernie's talent as an artist, I also appreciate the man behind the art and how genuinely friendly he is to his fans. That's what greatness is all about... IMHO...

Equally, I couldn't have been more impressed by the genuinely friendly emails and the talent Joe brings to the art world.

Sight unseen, I am very proud to add this collaborated piece into my collection, and I'm very pleased Joe agreed to complete the preliminary.

Thank you Joe!

Update 7/10/2014:

Joe ran into some unforeseen difficulties from the time I originally discussed this with him, but just today he provided me a copy of the completed work and it should be in route to me soon.

In my opinion, this was well worth the wait and I couldn't be happier having a "Jusko Girl" as the centerpiece to Bernie Wrightson werewolves...

Very, very cool...