This one was really inspired by a book I just finished reading: "The Short-Timers" by Gustav Hasford. The text on the picture, no doubt illegible at this size, says: "A Viet Cong rat attacks. Obviously, he intends to bring my breakfast under the influence of Communism.... ...Eating, his cheeks are fat. He looks so very bad; he's beautiful." I got a really hard time for the sketch for this one at school. The teacher started the critique by asking if I fought in Vietnam. (I'm 26. What the hell does she THINK? I really hate when people start out to make a point by asking a really stupid question.) Well, I told her to stop asking silly questions and get to the point. The point was that, since I wasn't there, I have no right to paint about Vietnam. Well, I really chose that quotation to paint about because it made me think about brutality and beauty...this isn't really a painting 'about' the war at all. The war which, of course, I didn't see. But I really enjoyed the book, and I wanted to paint this anyway, in spite of all criticism. However, I did want to mention this in case it offends anybody. Also, you might want to turn up the brightness on your monitor quite high for this one.

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