Bohemia Artist Revives Tribute to Vietnam Veterans
Elaine Ryder-Thompson reproduces her 1984 Vietnam Veterans Memorial poster as a commemorative note card after the original artwork sold out.
A patriotic tribute to Vietnam War veterans that received the personal approval of President Ronald Reagan is making a comeback more than four decades after its creation.
Bohemia artist Elaine Ryder-Thompson has reproduced her historic 1984 Vietnam Veterans Memorial poster as a commemorative note card, giving collectors and veterans another opportunity to obtain the artwork after the original posters sold out.
Thompson was invited to design the official national poster commemorating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial statue dedication in Washington, D.C., on November 11, 1984. She submitted four preliminary sketches, with Reagan selecting the design featuring three bronze soldiers against an American flag.
Five prominent stars represent the nation’s five military branches, while the lettering mirrors the typography engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall. Reagan subsequently sent Thompson a personally autographed copy of the poster.
The project carried particular significance for the artist, whose family has a military history spanning generations.
Her late husband, Richard Polizzi, served in the Korean War, where he was wounded three times. He died in 1969 from injuries related to his military service.
Her grandson, Jamie Mas, served in the United States Marine Corps in the Strait of Hormuz and, according to Thompson, also served as an Army Ranger in Special Forces.
The family’s military connections extend to ancestors who fought alongside George Washington during the American Revolution. Thompson has also painted a portrait of Washington.
An accomplished artist, Thompson is recognized for her golf paintings and posters associated with the USGA, PGA Championships and Ryder Cup. Her work also includes presidential portraits, Long Island landscapes and a recent painting of William Floyd and his historic Mastic estate.
The newly reproduced note cards commemorate the service and sacrifices of Vietnam veterans while preserving a piece of American military history.
For information, call 516-380-7715 or visit www.thompsonart.us or www.elainethompsonarts.com.
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