Of Two Minds

Then, window, let day in, and let life out.

A new day, what will you make of it?

I am of two minds.

Adventure beckons, but duty is impatient.

I long for Branwyn's salty breath on my skin,

and I hesitate to serve my ungrateful stewardship.

Alas, adventure beckons and duty is impatient.

I have had some interesting responses to this paintings.  By interesting I mostly mean not super positive (but, I have to say this is one of my all time favorites).  My publisher said, "It looks, it's kind of like.. um, it looks like she's... tweakin'".  Oh man, that's funny.  I had to tell him that it wasn't an accident.

The composition for this painting might look familiar.  There is a painting called Gabrielle d'Estrées et une de ses soeurs at the Louvre.  Gabrielle d'Estrees was King Henry IV of France's mistress and the tweakin' is symbolic of her fertility as she is with child.  In my painting the tweaking is actually a pea plucked from the plant growing behind her.  Her children are waiting (unenthusiastically) for their meal, and though she would love to sail away on a pirate adventure, she has to remind herself of her duties.