"Warrior Rosie"

Warrior Rosie

July 2020
48” x 36”
Mixed Media Collage on Stretched Canvas

Using my computer to digitally manipulate my earlier piece, “A National Treasure,” by enlarging and inverting her, I collaged a new original piece (the tattoo) directly onto the enlarged image. I then placed her onto another collaged background of original WWII Stars and Stripes newspaper front pages and articles; thus, producing an active image of Rosie revealing her newly acquired 101st Airborne Division 'combat patch
' tattoo (the above referenced original collage taken from additional vintage Tiffany & Co. catalog pieces). These small parts lovingly pieced together form a larger whole: all to pay homage to these great female fighters of the past, all the way back to WWII, where so many 'Rosies' paved the way for their men and women to serve, to my service in the same Division in Afghanistan in 2008, where I bear the same combat patch tattoo as Rosie here. I value their and her service just as much, if not more, than all the jewels and precious metals her image is created from here. Whether you served on the front lines or supported our troops from wherever you could, your service and sacrifice is deserving of an image just as large and just as precious as this one.