I was a senior by the dawning of the Jon Peters Era and "A Star Is Born" hit the movie theaters. Barbra's signature long mane was now a a coif of shoulder length auburn curls. It was as though something inside of me shouted, "Let the squiggles begin!" This inner voice was probably the very same one which also convinced me that Barbra desperately wanted to see these glorious portraits I was creating of her. Once I saw the black and white cover illustration for her Live At The Forum album, I was unshakable in my belief and determination. I understood this to be some sort of divine prophesy spoken only into my ears. To make matters even worse, it was at around this same time frame that Barbra Butterfly hit the stands. And there on the back is an illustration of Barbra with butterflies flowing out of her hair. And yet as I said, I have to embrace that period, for to be honest, I learned a great deal from studying her face throughout those many years. There were more bends and subtle curves on that woman's face than a Six Flaggs roller coaster. To this very day I attribute much of my portrait ability and attention to detail as a direct result. I eventually came in contact with some obscure Barbra Fan Club in NYC which had assured me that they not only could but would deliver my work directly into her well manicured hands. I sent two paintings and a couple original sketches to them. Such a concept now makes me shudder at the thought. I sat back and waited for a letter or phone call which would catapult me from out of the frozen Fargo landscape. As the days stretched into weeks and the weeks into numerous months, it became painfully clear that I had just had more air blown up my skirt than Marilyn Monroe. My next attempt was much more direct. I had recently packed my paints, hopped aboard an airplane and relocated to Los Angeles. This time I was going to go directly to the source, so to speak, and walked directly into Columbia Records with my portfolio in hand. What a horrid experience that was. They slapped my infatuated butt on a chair in the waiting room and left me there while the entire office broke for a two hour lunch break. And yet I continued. Every six months to a year I would create a new work and become convinced LaStreisand would see it, exclaim "Well Hello Gorgeous" and immediately hire my creative hand and mind. I have to say, the Columbia Records staff of the art department at that time was really nasty. They were horrible to me! About the only thing they didn't do was stitch together a voodoo doll with a lock of my hair and stick pins into it. But I kept coming back. At one point one of the art directors personally sat me down and said quite frankly, "Miss Streisand only likes complimentary pictures of her." I was aghast!! So what the heck was I creating,...ugly pictures of her? I mean, what sorta nasty kind of crack was that suppose to be anyway? Looking back I have to see the reasoning behind their lack of enthusiasm about my work as there were obvious occasions when my overactive imagination took me beyond the grasp of mere artistic expression. But then again, Barbra was also pushing some limits as with her recording of the haunting theme song to the Jon Peters movie, The Eyes Of Laura Mars. Although this was certainly not a number one hit for the diva, it definitely provided me with an inspired, albeit twisted, concept for a new Barbra work.