This painting holds a deep personal connection for me and is a favorite work. Our backs provide an armor to the soft organs on the front side of our bodies; it's interesting that we turn our back to the world when we want to shield ourselves. During one of the most enduring periods of my life, I had a large print of Picasso's "La Femme aux Bras Croisés" on my stair wall and felt as one with the somber feeling of the muse. My new version of this painting is not blue, but yellow and she's not shielding anymore, her back is strong, and she's relaxing in the warm sun light...