Another painting that started in Martin Campos' figure abstraction class, and another session with my friend Susan as a model. I think between poses I flipped the canvas upside-downe - that would explain the round mass at the bottom. The blobular masculine, four-armed figure on the right is a result of... gahd, I really don't know! Maybe poses past, as I rub out the layer and paint on top of it? Oh! Here it is! Here's the original, and apparently I have a habit of painting people very wide. I like how the shadow looks like a second person, a man. That must be why it evolved the way it did.

I wanted to quietly add Eros and Baphomet to the painting, symbolizing romantic and carnal love. As in Tarot, Baphomet bears a cross of Leviathan, reminding us that we are in control of our own destiny.

Over time as I kept walking by this painting, I would see a golden cross. "What the hell is that about?" Then it came to me - this is a sword, representing decisiveness, something I was needing at that time. I also think the sword unifies the composition nicely, like it's a pin holding everything together!