An order for a mother-and-child painting came from a pianist in Bacolod whom I had never met. She named artists whom she owned paintings of on the subject. I was flattered.

But, next to waterfalls and sunsets, I told her, that was for me a difficult subject I had neither the feeling nor the aptitude for. It could easily become a stereotype.

The lady still said, “Sige lang, maski paano basta mag-mother-and-child ka!” I was sick and tired of writing. So I painted. For days, from dusk to dawn I painted and painted and painted. Fifteen-odd Madonna paintings! I couldn’t stop. Here are some of them, dedicated to everyone who is not a typical mother.