Lord Westover: A Prince Among Princes

Lord Westover: A Prince Among Princes: Heaven has gained a Noble Prince and we, here below, have lost a man of such impeccable character that it is truly hard to believe he will n...

Queen of The World

How Queen Elizabeth II’s noble behavior has out shone the character of every British Monarch in the history of her nation and perhaps even the world.

By Robert Hudson Westover, the creator of His Grace, LordWestover (obviously).

When Princess Elizabeth ascended to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1952, Winston Churchill predicted that the nation’s new Queen Elizabeth would usher in a renewed Elizabethan era—as in the first English queen named Elizabeth. That first Elizabeth presided over what would become the world reach of a tiny island realm into the superpower Britannia and would rule the seas—for hundreds of years.

Many laughed at the irony of such a statement from Churchill. I mean, Great Britain, the empire where "the sun never sets," was already falling apart. It had, by 1952, lost many of its overseas colonies including India and South Africa. Anyone with any political savvy knew once magnificent Britannia, the largest empire ever known to man, was soon to be just another one of Europe’s “regional” powers.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II (Courtesy photo.)

So was Churchill dreaming? Or was he sensing something far beyond our traditional concepts of national boundaries and cultural imperatives?

Clearly, he left no deeper insight to his statement. But I believe he was on to something. And, yes, he was right. He was right not because Elizabeth Windsor has extended the reach of her kingdom’s physical borders but because she has recreated an empire not of lands but of people—that is to say peoples of the entire world.

Think about it. When people all over the world speak of “the queen” for the vast majority of humanity they are referring to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Even in my United States of America the term means her, our de facto Queen.

And what a queen!

The Queen has, for nearly 70 years, during some of the most wrenching political crisis imaginable, stood aloft with the Banner of True Nobility for all the world to see: Duty, Country, Family.

In that order.

She has inspired countless millions to be more noble to others, more clearheaded in a crisis and less emotionally reactive to whatever absurdity rears its ugly head—in other words, to be more like her in mind and spirit.

Take a moment to pounder how this physically diminutive woman of towering and steely character, so imbued with noble temperament, has impressed, inspired and amazed you in your own life. Even if you disagree with the concept of The Divine Right of Kings it’s a fool’s errand to find a serious cosmic flaw with The Queen. Yes, Elizabeth Windsor is a person, has flaws like all of us, but I would argue her flaws have been turned into strengths with this woman who stands out (especially now) as a rock of ages for humanity.

The performance art character @LordWestover
was  inspired by Queen Elizabeth.

On a personal level Queen Elizabeth inspired me all my life. I’ve attempted to model her behaviors in my personal crises often resulting in very positive outcomes. 

In fact, the creation of my highly successful performance art character @LordWestover was partially a result of my desire to share these new Elizabethan traits with others. Yes, Lord Westover is a comedic character, but his silliness points to Elisabeth II’s true north of Being Noble in all one says and does.

Some who read this article will think it’s just a fan letter and perhaps they are right. But I can think of no one better to be admired than Queen Elizabeth. 

So, from one of your superfans, Your Majesty, may I say God bless you for launching and sustaining a true and marvelous Elizabethan Era of Being Noble.

God Save the Queen!

Lord Westover Productions' New Arts and Humanities Foundation!

Washington, D.C. -- For 10 years, Lord Westover Productions has been dedicated to the arts and humanities. Now, with the launch of a new foundation, the Anon Foundation (not to be confused with QAnon--yikes), the new non-profits seeks to build bridges to unify all Americans no matter what political party they belong to--with a motto of remembering: We Are Americans First. 

The launch party had a Jackie Kennedy theme as the foundation's founders take a great deal of inspiration from the life of the former First Lady who had a profound appreciation for the arts and it's influence on culture and politics in particular.

Check out the video of the launch party! Anon Foundation Launch Video

Lord Westover Productions has launched a new
effort to bring attention to the arts. 
(Lord Westover Productions photo.)

Special guest for the foundation launch was
Say Yes to the Dress reality show super star
Monte Durham (left) who is self professed huge Jackie Kennedy fan.
(Lord Westover Productions photo.)

.

Jackie Kennedy serves as a type of inspiration
or patron saint of the arts for the Anon Foundation
(Jackie by Robert Dyber acrylic on canvas.)

So what does Jackie Kennedy have to do with Anon Foundation you might ask?

"Jackie Kennedy serves as type of inspiration for the new foundation," said Robert Hudson Westover, Chairman of the Anon Foundation. "I've admired her dignity and grace since childhood and she very much believed in the power of art to reach across all cultural, political and monetary boundaries."

Lapin Bleu Garden Video

The video is an end of summer view of our beautiful gardens. Every year at Easter we put Holy Water taken from the Grotto of the Virgin Mary outside the Justinian Wall in Istanbul and sprinkle it into the fountain which is the centerpiece to the garden we have dedicated to the Virgin Mother. 

See it here: Lapin Garden Video

Lord Westover: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Nobility for All ...

Lord Westover: Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Nobility for All ...: Celebrate Lord Westover’s 10 year anniversary by being Noble! By Robert Hudson Westover Ten years ago this summer a noble star w...

An Open Letter to Our Beloved American Family

Dear America - Let us start by saying  we have unwavering support for our incredibly positive American way of life. We lead the world in the newest ideas of making progress, and being positively progressive, contrary to much of what is said by many. We Americans, since our founding and throughout our history, continue to strive to be better, especially in expanding matters of freedom and equality.  

Tom and Robert, a married Gay couple for
20 years have
Loved America all their lives. 

It amazes us on how much We all work to improve our lives and our communities and our bellowed country--just look at the progress for LGBT rights over the last 30 years!  And We continue to find inspiration from our still cutting edge founding documents, confidant that tempered with understanding, history, and wisdom that each generation, both the young and old, will aspire to new heights as we celebrate our freedoms engaging freely in enterprise, civil rights, and important national priorities. 

We, more than ever, demand freedom of thought given to all, but without misrepresentation, which then flow towards actions which exalt good, and create beauty and order which is conducive to human flourishing. And We should always welcome newcomers from around the globe who are able to build up America, with their unique and exciting capabilities, as they contribute to strengthening our national fabric today and into the following centuries. 

So let's, together, raise up hard work, self-reliance, loyalty to and love of nation, faith in God, honesty, strong families, and minimal class consciousness--the American way. 

We are overwhelmingly a fair people, greatly underestimated by our adversaries. During this time of disruption, all should know that things are not always what they seem on the surface, or as we are being told by many. So don't be taken in by the rancor and chaos some contribute to around us. These are the crashing waves of a temporary storm but the strong calm currents have never been disturbed by the ferociousness of the violent and self-consumed. 

Do not be afraid to stand up for what is right--and America with all her blemishes, glory and hope is a shining light to the world. WE will build an even stronger and more resolute America able to further anchor to the enduring values developed and codified by imperfect messengers of liberty.  

Though inarticulately at times, we are fighting to sharpen our vision of needed changes to make America as great as possible. This is a wonderful goal. Now with the veil more removed, the true challenge to our past, present and future--America herself--stands is stark relief to the horrific history of man's inhumanity toward man. We are now actually even more up to slaying the true dragon--the hatred of the principles of liberty for all enshrined in our founding documents. Many now know that they have billions of miles to go, if they in fact can EVER sleep.

Like so many of us in our great American family, WE believe in equality for all and the idea that our country, despite the challenges we now face, is and will continue to be the best hope for the betterment of humanity. But we also know that our creator gave us the precious gift of conscience--of choice to do right or wrong--and that, unfortunately, many of us chose wrong over right far too often in the past, in our present and likely in our future. But this is not an indictment of America but rather the manifest human condition that our founding principles continually force us to examine and forge a more perfect union.  

With All Our Love and Devotion,

Tom Fulton and Robert Hudson Westover

BLM Mom Way Ahead of Her Time

[UPDATE: The official cause of my mother's death was "complications due to Covid-19". Please protect the most vulnerable in our population by at least wearing a face mask while in public spaces.]

Mardelle Hudson Westover 1938 to 2020

My mom has passed.

It was a tumultuous last two years of her fighting “the system” the term she used to describe the ten odd nursing homes she lived in during this time. Often lovely facilities she would liken to prisons and as she would later say she “escaped” from like some geriatric Houdini.

But this was to be excepted.

Mardelle was always a rebel, a fighter for the downtrodden and defiant almost literally to her last breath.

She lived her truth. She truly did.

For instance, even as a child, she felt strongly that racism was a disease that had to be eradicated. As a child in the 1940s she angered her teachers by opposing the inequality of the black community. In the 1940s!

As a child.

Wow.

Her BFF, Jackie, (literally they stayed friends to the end) enjoyed recounting the moment when as a teenager in the early 1950s in Santa Monica, California, mom took her new friend, a young black man from South Africa, to church at the very white 5th Church of Christ Scientists one bright sunny afternoon. “Your mom walked with him right down to the front of the church heads turning all the way!”

In the Calvinist-based Christian Science church there are no rituals including baptism. So some Christian Scientists “adopt” honorary god parents. My mom chose a black woman, a daughter of a slave, as her honorary family. We called her momma Broyels. She was a spiritual healer in the Christian Science church and was very effective. Momma Broyels died in the 1970s at nearly 100 years of age.

Mardelle in 1968 with her honorary
godmother "Mama Broyels".
(Westover family photos)

On a personal level my mother eradicated any sense of racial difference for her children by encouraging us to befriend black kids in our neighborhoods and at school. Because of this my best friend in junior high was a black kid named Tony Davis. We were inseparable and even broke in to MGM studios together running into a casting agent who was so amused by our “forwardness” that he cast us in a film.

It’s strange when your last parent passes. When my dad, Lawrence Robert, died, I was 31. He only lived to 58 but he and mom had a powerful love, so powerful that mom never remarried--out living dad by 25 years! 

My husband, Tom, told me a lot of soul searching begins when the last parent is buried. 12 hours into mom’s passing it has already begun for me.

Without her influence of equality for all I would have been a very different person.

Without her constant and emphatic insistence on forgiving all who had harmed her I would be a very different person.

Without her love for the arts and humanities I would be a very different person.

And, without her love for God, and the Universe He created, I would most certainly been a different person.

As the sediment of life with my “crazy” mom is sifting away, now faster than ever, the peaks and valleys are coming into stark relief and I am beginning to see this woman as the complicated, loving, angry, forgiving, defiant, selfish and generous person she was and will be remember by those who knew and loved her.

Welcome to heaven, mom, where the only skin color is the light of Love.

Mom and dad shortly before they were married in 1957.
(Westover family photos.)

(I have included this link to a testimony my mother wrote many years ago. I can think of no better eulogy as the highest mountain peak of her life—risking her life to save another: https://sentinel.christianscience.com/issues/1967/9/69-39/one-summer-afternoon-while-at-the-beach-with-my-four-children

The Restoration of a 1902 Colonial Revival Mansion in Northern Virginia

An American Painting Music in Paris’s City Hall

James Purpura is emerging as one of the most profound and uniquely talented artists of a generation

Paris - For artists to distinguish themselves is never easy. To distinguish themselves in Paris is an altogether bigger deal. James Purpura, a native of Ohio, has done exactly that. Starting April 1 and ending on April 13 Purpura’s wide range of paintings, including landscapes, portraits and the fanciful, will be exhibited in one of the City of Lights most magnificent buildings the City Hall of Paris' 5^th Arrondissement.

A cityscape by Jame Purpura. (Used by permission.)

Purpura, who sees colors in music, an almost sixth sense called synesthesia, has also accomplished another rare feat among artists in that he has been able to translate this concomitant sense for the world to see. According to Purpura he sees colors in “Beats, instruments, layering, vocals, and lyrics can evoke certain colors and brush strokes, and pieces of music in an infinite number of ever-changing visuals.” His musical inspirations for painting includes classical, pop, transcendental, and remixes.

The artist's work is innovative and spontaneous, and never scripted. He likes to play with colors and lets them answer each other on the canvas. Often, characters such as animals and people begin to appear magically in the story and he will give them finishing touches to complete these characters.

A landscape by James Purpura. (Used by permission.)

“My approach gets people involved in the canvas as they lose themselves in color and the story on the canvas. It allows them to escape and ask ‘Why is the moon black? Why is the sun green? Why are there two suns? Why is there one sun but the reflection of seven?’ This is how I see. This is how I interpret the world.” said Purpura.

To learn more about James Purpura and his new exhibit in Paris visit: http://www.jamesmpurpura.com/

TAGS: Art, Paris, James Purpura, synesthesia

HASHTAGS #ArtInParis, AprilArtEvents, ArtExhibition

Robert Westover Featured by US Forest Service for LGBT Month

Meet Robert Hudson Westover

Final Bow

By Robert Hudson Westover

Chairman Emeritus, S.S. United States Foundation

Seeing the film Titanic when it was released in December 1997 proved to be pivotal moment for me. That’s because watching Mr. Cameron’s near exact replica of the 1912 White Star ocean liner reminded me of another ship I had adored, imagined and built (the Revel model that is!) as a child. A ship whose very name made me feel patriotic.

The S.S. United States.

Titanic made me want to know where the S.S. United States had gone. I went on (what we called then) the World Wide Web and discovered (to my delighted surprise) that America’s flagship was very much still afloat and a former passenger, Mike Alexander, had started a Website to bring awareness to her plight.

That following January I went to visit the United States for the first time. I could hardly sleep the night before! I felt like a little boy going to Disneyland for the first time! I’ll never forget seeing her red, white and blue funnels for the first time that day. Her sleek profile. Her dramatic and cutting bow.

She was weather beaten for sure, but where others saw discouragement and a badly decaying vessel I saw hope and a glorious restoration like the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA.

I was 33 years old and full of excitement and possibilities. I didn’t care that the herculean task of saving this ship would take years of my life. I didn’t care that many other interests where vying with their own visions--and, sadly, personal self-aggrandized agendas.

I just knew I could do this.

And I began by starting an organization I named the S.S. United States Foundation.

I’m not going delve into the details--the impossible odds of creating and leading one of the largest all volunteer preservation non-profits in the country--because this amazing story has been covered in many news stories and in books.

Safe to say, the attention I sought to bring to the ship via the SSUS Foundation, went well beyond anything I could have imagined. For the first time since the ship won the Blue Riban for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean (and her untimely retirement in 1969) her story appeared in the New York Times, then the BBC World News Service, then ABC World News Tonight and on and on.          (Click on video below)

This constant national and international media attention began in April 1999 and has never let up.

With success came attention and many now wanted to become part of what had been a few, but highly devoted, Big U (her nickname) fans in varying fields of expertise from advertising, public relations, media relation, maritime and legislative-based professions.

The SSUS Foundation's greatest accomplish happened when we lead the effort and succeeded in placing the S.S. United States on the National Register of Historic Places when she was less than 50 years old. This "less than 50 years old" is important because we had to prove the Big U met the National Register's stringent “National Significance” criterion.

We did and the Big U was placed on the National Register in June 1999 resulting in another round of national attention including a prime time broadcast on CNN. (Click on video below)

But soon the reality of having to actually convince a municipality to take her in as a Queen Mary type attraction set in. Meetings were held with elected representatives but no one seemed to grasp (or have the vision) of what a huge tourist attraction the SS United States could become—a classic problem in preservation efforts.

Then the owner, who had allowed the SSUS Foundation free and near unfetter access to the ship passed away. She was sold to NCL and the Foundation’s noble vision to see the S.S United States preserved as a monument to her splendor (and being able to keep her on the National Register) seemed lost.

Then everything changed.

The official logo of the S.S. United States Foundation.

The Foundation's confrontational approached to NCL’s renovation plans didn’t sit well with some members of the board of directors.

In the ensuing heightened climate of profound ideological differences a new non-profit, the S.S. United States Conservancy, was created (or reemerged from an existing organization as some would insist) and they succeeded in purchasing the United States from NCL after the cruises line abandoned its renovation plans.

Not long after the remaining board of the SSUS Foundation voted to suspend any further activities and to not compete for our vision of preservation.

Since that time I have maintained a social media presence as a fascinated spectator of the SSUS Conservancy’s efforts to bring their vision of the Big U to fruition--I even donated my last royalty proceeds from the book SS United States Fastest Ship in World (Turner) to the Conservancy. And until their recent announcement about the deal worked out with Crystal Cruise Lines I was as unaware of their vision as anyone else.

Cover to the successful book
SS United States Fastest ship in the World (Turner)

Let me be clear. I cannot begin to express my profound disappointment in the future chosen by the SSUS Conservancy for this great historic site.

To me the plans are an abomination of what I, and many others feel, was the epitome of ship building. And I realize many feel differently but I very much disagree with the argument that all that matters is that she sails again.

Sails as what?

To me it’s analogous to giving Queen Elizabeth a Hollywood-style face lift, collagen lip injections, massive Dolly Parton-esque breast implants, a tummy tuck and a rear-end lift, put her in a red, skin-tight beaded dress and parade her around with the Kardashian sisters.

Yes, what a comical and ridiculous site that would be and what horrid last visual memories of a great queen!

Yet, I’m supposed to feel that what is planned for the S.S. United States is any different?

Well, I can’t.

Now that the board of the SSUS Conservancy has made their choice to, what I strongly feel, eviscerate the remaining historic integrity (as I believe is clearly spelled in the requirements for historic designation by The National Register of Historic Places), I will suspend any involvement in and abandon my watch as a preservationist seeking to protect this amazing relic of maritime greatness.

Good-by once great Queen of the Seas.

I did my best to save you.