Oasis (Star Trek art by The Southern Cross)

Fan Art
Title:	Oasis
Artist:	The Southern Cross
Date(s):	1984
First Published:
Medium:
Genre/Style:
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
External Links:
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from Out of Bounds #6 (1984)

Oasis is a illustration by The Southern Cross.

Some fans refer to it as "At the Oasis" or "Break Thou My Sanctuary," the latter a reference to the story Break Thou My Sanctuary by Janet Alex (a pseud for Joanna Russ) for which it was used.

It was printed in Out of Bounds (Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves).

Artist's Description

The Oasis: Kirk and Spock are shown with Spock seated, legs folded, body reclined against a large pillow. Kirk is reaching across his lap with his hand between Spock's legs (again!). They are on some sort of oriental fabric with exotic plants in the background as well as the full moon and a starry sky. Their bodies are lean and beautiful, the faces are superb.

1994

Seeing The Southern Cross appear at the Shore Leave art show was a big surprise. [We] dogged her steps until she eventually took us out to her car where she was keeping the K/S art she couldn't hang but still wanted to sell. I ruthlessly trapped her by the curbside until she accepted my bid for the work still cradled in her trunk. So now I'm the proud owner of a big, original Southern Cross, the one of K and S at an oasis, with Spock's "frals" wrapped around Kirk's hand. I've always lusted after it…

1997

My current favorite is from the older zine Out of Bounds, edited by Pamela Rose and Lezlie Shell, printed in 1984. The art is by The Southern Cross for the great story Break Thou My Sanctuary by Janet Alex. I had quite a time getting that art safely to Oklahoma through the Bible Belt airports. I had to put it inside a large poster of Trek I got in the dealer’s room! I went through 3 airports, buses, rerouted through two other airlines before arriving in Oklahoma. I had to get it rematted by a close friend. Thank God she could do it, so I don’t get picked up by the police for porno if I went into our local Hobby Lobby to get this matted and framed. You should see the strange looks I’ve received when I’ve had a naked Klingon female matted. Or a naked Barbarian warrior!

If you haven’t seen this fold-out picture of a naked Kirk and Spock drawn in incredibly life-like detail, then you haven’t lived the full K/S life. I am fortunate enough (or crazy enough) to own the original of this masterpiece, but I must say the reproduction in the zine does it justice, although the shading and contrast is not quite as strong as it might be. I’ve heard this picture referred to as “At the Oasis,” but I’m not sure if that’s official or not. It appears the guys are reclining on a blanket on the sand, with palm-like trees behind them and a desert moon above. Besides the absolutely dead-on likeliness of Kirk stretched out on his side, reaching for Spock’s penis, and of Spock half-sitting, half-leaning on Kirk with his arm wrapped around and supporting Jim’s shoulders, there is also the matter of the frals. I’ve never been one of those who was put off by this early fandom invention that enhances Vulcan genitals, I always thought they were intriguing. (For those who might not know, frals are tentacles next to the penis that unfurl during sexual excitement.) In this picture one of them is wrapped around Kirk’s hand, and Kirk’s gaze is absolutely riveted on them. It is inexplicable to me that this K/S treasure isn’t even listed in the Table of Contents of the zine. Perhaps back then the talents of somebody like The Southern Cross were just taken for granted?

There is one beautiful and well-known picture done by The Southern

Cross (I call it The Oasis--I don't know what the artist called it) which depicts Spock with two frals and they are wrapped around Kirk's hand).

[...]

It's a great zine even if you don't count the artwork.

[...]

...that Southern Cross illustration IS astonishingly beautiful, mostly because Spock *really, really* looks like Spock -- the young Spock from [the episode] Corbomite Maneuver--was he ever more gorgeous? She did a beautiful job with both faces (and bodies!)

1999

Yes, there is one beautiful and well-known picture done by The Southern Cross (I call it The Oasis--I don't know what the artist called it) which depicts Spock with two frals and they are wrapped around Kirk's hand). Jenna owns the original, and I think the picture was published as a foldout in *Out of Bounds* (maybe Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves--gosh I can't remember, and I have two originals of this zine!) It's a great zine even if you don't count the artwork.

I do think it is VERY good, both faces are beautiful and the bodies so well drawn and the background ..... But I think that it looks a little like Kirk might be about to pull them out, since he's got them firmly in his fist, if I were Spock I'd be a little nervous right now!!

Not my favourite of Southern Cross's work, though; I always felt the two bodies should have been placed just a little closer together; it could be that -technically- it makes a good composition, but I always feel that Kirk is having to over-reach to get at Spock's equipment."

You must see the Southern Cross drawing--so sensual, with the frals wrapping themselves around Kirk's hand and wrist, as he reaches for Spock's penis. The look on Spock's face -- o my god.