A Sense of Freedom

I first saw Boris Vallejo's artwork on the covers of the Fantasy books my boyfriend and I used to read. Being enthralled by his work, I went to the bookstore to find out more about him. I think it was in the 1980-s, before I had the internet. I bought one of his calendars. It was filled with drawings of strong muscular women warriors. Women who would stick up for themselves and fight back. The woman in these pictures gave me a sense of freedom.

Being a product of the United States , I was too self conscience about my body. I did not feel that I had the power to let my body be a extension of my personal power. In a decent society I should be able to dress like Boris's warrior women without being seen as a sex object. Without feeling shy and bashful and in fear for my own safety. In Boston, after work one day, I went into a nearby bar to use their bathroom, and all of a sudden there were two men there, I got out of the bathroom okay ,but I was shaken. I was a warrior, but out of fear and not power. Boris's woman have power and respect, they are not a sex object even though they are scantily dressed. Men go to the pool with well toned chests wearing speedos, and people do not try to attack them in the pool or bathroom.

When woman get raped they are often told it is their fault. It is how they dressed or walked or if they were actually friendly to the people who had said hello to them. But I was dressed for work in a Bank. What could have been more conservative attire..

I am thinking that maybe there are some people in the USA who agree that his drawing are Art and not Erotica. A few days after I bought the Calendar it was sold out.( I used to live in the Coop (a bookstore in Cambridge.)). Also when I signed onto the Internet ( in 2023) his Originals were being auctioned off. I am hoping that others will understand the sense of freedom his work gives me.

He also has excellent artistic skills. He also draws muscular men and well detailed creatures. He has very realistically drawn fantasy. The local museum is exploring bringing his work on display in our town. I will be going , hope to see you there.

Suzanne read over her article. It was for her local paper. Dare she sign it. It was meant to be an art review. She was getting paid, weather or not they accepted it to be published.

She felt nervous as she entered the restaurant to meet her editor. Jane was so upbeat and cheerful. Suzanne started to relax. They each ordered a drink. Jane had already read the article. She would have been going for months of therapy if that had happened to her when she went to use a bathroom. She just wanted Suzanne to focus on the friendship they had. Usually their meeting lasted twenty minutes at the most, but tonight they joked about the Brady movie. When they both left they had not talked about the article at all. Suzanne thought it was odd , but was relieved. Jane had also bought her, a meal of Nachos. Not very nutritious, but one of her favorite dishes at that restaurant.

Jane walked Suzanne to her car, and then made her way to her apartment. Jane knew the article would be the talk of the town, but she worried about the welfare of her reporter. What would a true friend do? She knew what a hired publisher would do. She had about a hour to decide.

Suzanne picked up the published paper, the next morning. She felt nervous. She had just bared her soul. The article was there. Her stomach tightened. It was on the front page. The art review was always in the back section of the paper. The article was signed as written by S. Harper.

For the first time , she wished she had a therapist. But she knew asserting your opinion was not grounds for a mental breakdown,