In the movie (long ago) "The Agony & Ecstacy" starring Charlton Heston as Michaelangelo and Rex Harrison as Pope Julius, Michaelangelo (Chuck) would be up on the scaffold painting the Sistene Chapel ceiling and Pope Rex would come in with his entourage, look up and holler, "When will you be finished?". And Chuck would call down (kindly at first) "when I am done". This was repeated frequently until Chuck had lost his patience and was infuriated. Well, Pope Julius (Rex Harrison) was pretty frustrated as well and was hostile, "WHEN WILL YOU BE FINISHED!!!" he would roar. Michaelangelo (Chuck Heston) would bellow back from above, "WHEN I AM DONE!!!". And then he "accidentally"dropped a hammer from high up on the scaffold that landed near the Pope's feet, to emphasize the point. From then on El Papa would stick his head in the door (the entourage would not enter) to see the progress.

With this project (as with many others in the past) I have been both the Pope and the Painter. In my mind, when I come into the studio I shout, "WHEN WILL YOU BE FINISHED?". And I holler back (in my mind of course), WHEN I AM DONE!". And then I feel like dropping a hammer.

In this painting I have made quite a few changes with people and things in the foreground. You can see that if you compare it to the earlier photos of the painting.