Overwhelmed. You can see me there in the center. There’s my lovely wife, Reality. Our oldest daughter, Poetry; our active son, Art; and our newest, Hope.

I have had this concept for about three years. The finished pencils on it for about two. I think the theme of the pic translates pretty easily but, just in case, it is a piece about stress. Yes, I indulged myself in putting in my own stresses. Feel free to project your own. I insist. It’s just one of those times where everything assails you at once and the best you can do is throw up your hands. It’s a situation we’ve all been in and through and we’re better for it. Not sure any of us wants to do it often, though.

I forget how many hours I invested into the pencils and getting the composition just right. I can tell you that it took me 85 hours to paint. I can’t tell if it’s the exhaustion speaking or the relief, but it’s a damned fine picture and I am damned proud of it. I scoff at the idea of the stress I put myself though in painting this somehow translates.