To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

What Dreams May Come, oil

Worn out from the rigors of motherhood. Still exhausted from giving birth and the baby exhausted from being born. The car seat is still on the floor, unmoved from the moment they got home. Mommy is wearing daddy’s shirt because it’s easier access to the life sustaining milk.

They are asleep in front of the TV in a small cluttered NY apartment. That is the reality of life in New York.

“To sleep, perchance to dream...” What lies ahead? This is the beginning of three journeys. One is the beginning of a life and the other is the beginning of motherhood. The third is the beginning of fatherhood. I am a father and my presence is felt and symbolized by the rumpled over-sized shirt the mother is wearing.

New life is a symbol for hope and great expectations. I am fascinated by birth and by the fragility of that age. A parent must protect the baby, even when they are worn out and sleeping. Even in sleep, the mother clutches the baby to protect her, to keep her from falling. Mother will do a lot more holding on as the years pass.

I did this painting for a group show for Poets and Artists Magazine at prestigious Arcadia Gallery in California. It was curated by John Seed and Didi Menendez and included some very big names in the world of Representational Painting such as Bo Bartlett and David Kassan.

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