Miss Sunshine, declassified
2006
16 by 20 approx
Digital Painting
Based on a photo from the "Hanford Historical Photo Declassification Project".
© copyright Jk
Read the introduction to the Remixing the Hanford Declassified Project paintings
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
Hanford Fire Prevention Week of 1951 rolls around. Having observed the iconic femme fatale who was Miss Flame of 1950, everyone out there wants to know who was Miss Flame of 1951, right?
There was no Miss Flame of 1951. Instead, we have Miss Sunshine.
You make me happy, when skies are gray
The original photo is impossible to beat but I still wanted to give it some color. The more I worked on it and thought about it the more the man on the right stood out to me, and he already figured pretty strongly, the strongest of all the men basking in the radiance of Miss Sunshine.
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0039499"
Accession Number N1D0039499
Document Number 2419-1-NEG-A
Alternate Document Number 2419-1-NEG
Title Description FIRE PREVENTION WEEK DISPLAY - MISS SUNSHINE WINNER
Document Date 23-Oct-1951
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
Quite the difference between her and Fire Prevention Week's Miss Flame.
My theory is that Miss Flame was too too intimidating so they decided to instead have a Miss Sunshine in 1951.
Miss Flame wore elegant gowns and inspired fear with her incinerating passions.
Miss Sunshine wears bathing suits. She smiles. When her mouth opens, bubbles likely emerge. Miss Sunshine was the cheesecake that Hanfordites and Richlandites so dearly adore.
The other night, dear, as I laid sleeping, I dreamed I held you by my side
I'm probably reading a lot more into the photo than the situation warrants but the men on either side of Miss Sunshine look like they're a bit drunk on their authority in respect to the generosity of Miss Sunshine's warmth (which is one way of putting it). The man on the right, holding the red wrap, attracts my attention most as he looks less titillated by having achieved the authority to bask in Miss Sunshine's rays than possessive of her, as if he's able to smile while the other two get their victory hugs because he's the one driving the Miss home afterwards.
Attracted my notice too how Miss Sunshine is fondling the lapel of the Man in Badge. Must say that Miss Sunshine and the Guys do make Richland/Hanford look like a very friendly place.
There are no photos of Miss Flame getting huggy-huggy or the guys getting huggy-huggy with Miss Flame.
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0039500"
Accession Number N1D0039500
Document Number 2419-1-NEG-B
Alternate Document Number 2419-1-NEG
Title Description FIRE PREVENTION WEEK DISPLAY - MISS SUNSHINE WINNER
Document Date 23-Oct-1951
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
FIRE PREVENTION WEEK DISPLAY - MISS SUNSHINE WINNER
DDRS Record Details for Record Accession Number
"N1D0039501"
Accession Number N1D0039501
Document Number 2419-1-NEG-C
Alternate Document Number 2419-1-NEG
Title Description FIRE PREVENTION WEEK DISPLAY - MISS SUNSHINE WINNER
Document Date 23-Oct-1951
Public Availability Date 14-Feb-2002
Miss Flame of Fire Prevention Week 1950 could readily educate on the dangers of fire because it was her red hot element. Miss Sunshine is instead the warmth of friendly sunbeams that should be no more threatening than to cause you to break a slight sweat. She drives you not to spontaneous combustion but a delightful leap in the pool for temporary relief from her overly eager attentions.
However Miss Sunshine was used to teach fire safety, I don't know.
Originally posted on my blog April 3 2006.
