“Star Wars On Earth,” - The Painting
by Full Sail Fine Art
This photograph has been posted and shared all over the world on various aviation social media sites.
Photograph by C.J. “Heater” Heatley III, above the South China Sea, 1982
If you are one of the half million owners of the book “The Cutting Edge,” you’ll recognize this iconic photograph from the cover by Navy Fighter Pilot, C. J. “Heater” Heatley III.
Movie producer Jerry Bruckheimer, upon seeing Heatley’s photo exclaimed, “This looks like Star Wars on Earth.” Now this image can be shared all over the world once again, but this time as an oil painting.
Today, “Star Wars on Earth” is in the process of becoming a commemorative oil painting by Tucson master artist Russell Recchion. “Star Wars on Earth - The Painting” will be the fourth original work of art of Recchion’s “Naval Aviation Collection.”
Russell Recchion's "Star Wars on Earth" Oil Painting on Canvas (as of 03-03-2023)
The odds of this internationally recognized photo becoming the subject of a master artist’s painting may not be as rare as you would imagine. Heatley, whose University of Missouri degree was in photojournalism, was always excited about the prospect of a painted version.
In fact, Recchion was looking for Navy F-14 Tomcat reference photos when he happened upon Heater’s aviation portfolio. “Star Wars on Earth” was a natural pick for a Tomcat painting once the artist learned of the passion the photographer still had for this sensational photograph.
“It’s an image that has nearly every element that makes a visually stunning photograph,” said Heater. “I knew some day an artist would come along who could complete the vision I had when I clicked the shutter.”
Recchion, an award-winning portrait artist, had the honor to be chosen by Heatley to immortalize “Star Wars on Earth” on canvas, forty-one years after the photo was taken.
This year’s collaboration between Heater and Russ will now assure that “Star Wars on Earth” will live on as a fine art collectible and honor the vital service and stories of the legendary Navy F-14 Tomcat.
In the “TOP GUN'' movie, almost all the still photos on the office walls and the aircraft carrier are Heater’s, as well as the large backlit photo in the bar scene. The photos were personally selected by movie director Tony Scott from the collection at Heater’s house, where they spent hours looking at slides and talking about movies and dogfighting.
Please check out: The Making of “Star Wars on Earth” The Painting video:
https://youtu.be/spxsKwYttMI
