Morgaine at her best

Once again, here's the main character from C.J. Cherryh's series of books about the

female time-traveler and adventurer, Morgaine. The white-haired Amazon is depicted in her black and silver armor and white bearskin cape, holding her space-warping "sword." She also has a blaster holstered at her left hip as well as a "utility belt" with ammunition and supplies, since the books are a mixture of fantasy and science fiction motifs. Morgaine has white hair and silver eyes because she is a descendant of an ancient super-race that once ruled the galaxy and left behind the space/time gateways that they built. It is her job to close as many gateways as she can while staying alive during adventures on many worlds.

This picture was bought by a fan at DarkoverCon 1981 and given to C.J. Cherryh on her birthday at Constellation, the Baltimore World Science Fiction Convention, in 1983. I'm sure C.J. has scads of fan art by people around the world and I wonder whether she still has this one or even remembers it. I consider it one of my best small pieces ever, despite its early 1981 date.

Gouache on Fabriano paper, mounted on black mat board, 4" x 8", fall 1981. Clikonthepic for a larger view.