The Pedestrian, Oil on Canvas, 32" x 48", Richard J Van Wagoner, 1986, Courtesy Helen Bero-Van Wagoner and Richard A. Van Wagoner**

March 14, 2018 would be my father’s 86th birthday. Posted here are several of my favorites of his paintings. I have posted them before, but not together. Interspersed among the paintings are a few comments about current events which, hopefully, won’t detract from your enjoyment of his work.

Self-Portrait, Oil on Canvas, 24" x 48", Richard J Van Wagoner, Circa 1962, Courtesy of Van Wagoner Family Trust**

It was just another week in Trumpsylvania. Zero Sum, Tariffs and Porn Stars, Cohn and Cohen, Videos, Still Photos, Texts, Paternity and Arbitration. Oops. Wasn’t supposed to say “Arbitration.”

La Femme Qui Pleure Two-and-a Half, Oil on Masonite, 48" x 20", 1993, Richard J Van Wagoner, Courtesy of Helen Bero-Van Wagoner and Richard A. Van Wagoner**

Kushner downgraded while new facts emerged about his potential for having used his status as Senior Trump Adviser to obtain more than $500,000,000 in loans to family-owned real estate companies, a number of countries consider him malleable, and then there’s that thing with Qatar.

Dead Trees, Watercolor, 20.5" x 28.5", Richard J Van Wagoner, Circa 1990, Courtesy of Helen Bero-Van Wagoner and Richard A. Van Wagoner*

The Seychelles has a new Prince.

Moving Silhouettes, Oil on Panel, 24" x 32", Richard J Van Wagoner, 1988, Courtesy Helen Bero-Van Wagoner and Richard A. Van Wagoner**

I am delighted with the prospect of meaningful diplomacy over curtailing and downgrading North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and development. Un’s execution of psychological prowess over Mr. Trump, however, was exquisite. He played Mr. Trump like a beautiful piece of chocolate cake. Un’s legitimacy as a player on the world stage just skyrocketed while Trumps continues to nose-dive. If there are any grownups left, I hope they have some measure of influence over how this summit unfolds.

Otherwise, and maybe regardless, Mr. Trump, along with Ambassador Rodman, will emerge from the meetings and exclaim:

Trump likes Un — a lot;

Un really knows how to run a country;

Trump has the greatest respect for Un and Un really likes him too, they get along really really well and are looking forward to a fantastic relationship for many administrations to come;

Un’s wife his hot;

Un told him he isn’t really developing nukes, just rockets, and only because the international community has been so unfair to him, treated him so unfairly;

Trump really believes him about the nukes and thinks Un really believes that too;

Un really really just wants to get some respect which Trump understands;

Un’s human rights record is being unfairly reported — fake news;

And Un has THE best parades. Beautiful. Unbelievable.

Waiting for the Parade, Oil on Canvas, 48" x 72", Richard J Van Wagoner, 1989, Courtesy Helen Bero-Van Wagoner and Richard A. Van Wagoner**

Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 44" x 52", Richard J Van Wagoner, Circa 2001, Courtesy Van Wagoner Family Trust**

Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 48" x 72", Richard J Van Wagoner, Circa 2001, Courtesy Van Wagoner Family Trust**

*My brother the very talented fiction writer and novelist, Robert Hodgson Van Wagoner, deserves considerable credit for offering both substantive and technical suggestions tolastamendment.com

**My daughter Angela Moore, a professional photographer, photographed nearly 500 pieces of my father’s work. On behalf of the Van Wagoner Family Trust, she is in the process of compiling a collection of his art work. The photographs of my father’s art reproduced inlastamendment.comare hers.