THANK GOODNESS for the CAF “search” feature!!!!!

Every so often, I do these random searches for a particular artist, just in case I might have missed something from my watched galleries or the 24-hour update list. While I do get the CAF email alerts and I do try my best to keep up with all the daily updates, it’s really impossible to catch everything! So when I have some free time, I do a few searches. Well, that’s what led me to this wonderful Dave Stevens tribute by the very talented Terry Twigg.

After Dave passed away last year, I was curious to see what pieces of his existed on the site and if maybe some of the more secretive collectors may have been inspired (by his passing) to reveal anything that was previously tucked away. Granted there are probably still some hidden gems among us, but I did want to see what was being shared, what was available for sale, and what (if anything) a collector may have been inspired to reveal in light of Dave’s passing.

Alas, no stunning discoveries. But I did see this wonderful thumbnail pop up in that search. When I clicked on it, I was directed to Ray Cuthbert’s wonderful gallery where I found numerous other Twigg examples for sale. I was surprised to see so many wonderful Bettie paintings by Terry and enjoyed viewing each one, but my mind (and my eyes) kept wandering back to this one!

I kept clicking back and forth between a few of the others, but there was just something about them that wasn’t quite working for me. While all of the images featured Bettie in various stages of undress, it wasn’t simply the abundance of skin that was throwing me off. There was something else. Then I realized what it was – the faces! More specifically, the eyes. I wasn’t getting that same aura of sensuality and allure with the others as I was with this particular piece. And suddenly it became all too clear. This was the only piece where her eyes were closed, and ultimately, that made all the difference in the world (at least to me).

For all you diehard Dave Stevens fans, obviously you recognize this image from the 4th chapter of Dave's iconic Rocketeer series. It's page 3 from Pacific Presents #2. I've included a shot of the published page in the Additional Images. As you can see, it's been recreated very faithfully in almost every detail. There's some variance in the bedding, but as far as the figure itself, it's spot on. The one thing I will say, in comparing the two, is that there is a noticeable softness to the recreation that I don't get from the original. Almost as if it were shot in soft focus, like many of the screen idols from the Golden Age of cinema. Whatever it is, I love it.

Anyway, while I was thrilled to see that this piece was available for sale, I also knew that I was (as usual) in no position to do anything about it. So I simply decided to bookmark the page, and bide my time until I could approach Ray with at least a down payment. Luckily the piece stayed put and, even more fortunate for me, Ray was agreeable to my making time payments.

And so, my thanks to Ray Cuthbert for his patience and trust. Not just for selling me the piece, but for letting me pay it off, for trusting me enough to ship it out before my last check cleared, and for using a faster shipping service than what I paid for! I wish everyone I bought art from was more like you!

My thanks also to Terry Twigg for his artistry and talent, and of course to Dave Stevens for the inspiration.

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