This is a direct inspriation of "Embrace I" by George Clair Tooker, Jr. I first saw the image in a cookbook several years ago and loved it, but not until my husband surprised me at the door with an early return from Iraq did the image have so much meaning. Knowing it was impossible for me to purchase the original painting, I recreated it for myself using similar colors and composition, but with different materials and details. 15x10" oil and textured paper on book board, 2008