I typically work on multiple canvases at the same time, although, at the moment, I have spent much of the past three weeks on a composition with my son Axel playing (or trying to play) his mother’s viola. He discovered it recently and has become obsessed with it. I was inspired to paint this scene partly because it will make a good companion to one of Karen with her viola from about 16 years ago. That one isn’t quite finished so I will turn my attention to it as soon as I am done with this one.

On the left is the canvas I am actually more interested in; a woman in the throes of labor. This is part of a series of pictures that explore motherhood. My intent is to portray it all as I see it, the joys and pain and exhaustion and frustration and boredom and anger; all of it.

The canvas to the right is a piece I began about 15 years ago and quickly abandoned. I had a friend who was very much into Salsa and I would accompany her to Boston to watch dancers at a park. In this composition, a pregnant and very graceful Spanish woman instructs a man with two left feet. Mold got a hold of the canvas in the nearly 15 years I had it buried away but I have cleaned it and begun working on it again — slowly.