In a whirlwind of e-mail activity I arranged to head out on assignment with Jana Waring while she interviewed Finola Hughes for Playground Magazine, Central Florida’s Hip Sophisticated Parenting Magazine. Finola who was once a soap star on “General Hospital” and who is now on “How Do I Look” was in town to host Fashion Funds the Cure held at Saks Fifth Avenue. This is a fashion show in which young girls who are battling cancer make their debut on the fashion runway. The young girls beam with delight at this once in a lifetime opportunity.
I was impressed at how Jana and Finola spoke as if they were sisters right from the start. In some ways arriving in a wheel chair has its advantages Jana said, it shows your human frail side right out front and it sort of empowers me to take chances and ask sincere questions. Finola was describing in detail the trials and heart breaks of adoption and the need to accept situations as they stand. She painted a picture of her family life in broad clear strokes.
After the interview I got a chance to sit down with Jana at the Florida Mall food court. She joked with me that she wouldn’t have minded being adopted by Finola herself, and Finola seemed so genuinely entranced with her, that I think that could have been arranged. We both agreed that the interview went really well. Since the interview was only a half hour it was a bit rushed from a sketch perspective but I got the major details in place and finished up back at the studio. Actually my presence may have helped Finola to talk about some of the more creative aspects of family life. For instance her husband is a painter and she says the children are encouraged to draw. Getting to work out in the field with Jana was an exhilarating experience.