explaining my work in Spanish

My newest painting 48x36 oil on canvas "Sandy's Sunflower "2014

 As if it isn't hard enough to express one's thoughts and process in your native language, then consider appearing (with a translator) to speak to an audience who all speak another tongue. Wednesday night I had the privilege of speaking about my work to a spanish speaking congregation at St. Mark's. Fortunately, I have many fluent Spanish speakers in my own family. My son (a Spanish major in college now) was my interpreter and did a handsome job.
I began with these words;
Cuando vemos una hermosa flor, (o montañas o junto al mar) pensamos en este versículo de los Salmos. "Los cielos cuentan la gloria de Dios." Salmo 19: 1(When we see a beautiful flower, ( or mountains or seaside) we think of this verse from the Psalms. “the heavens declare the glory of God.” Psalm 19:1)
And I also said this;
He elegido las flores como mi tema de la infinita variedad de posibilidades artísticas. Me gusta ir más allá del simbolismo de costumbre y la idea decorativa de la "flor" y ver un paisaje, una espuma de rodadura de mar, o un bosque lineal enredado. (I have chosen flowers as my subject for the endless variety of artistic possibilities. I like to go beyond the usual symbolism and decorative idea of "flower" and see a landscape, a rolling foam of sea,or a tangled linear forest.)
It went well, the audience was appreciative and interested and when I ended with a time to ask me questions I had many raised hands. The funniest question was directed at my son, "What is it like growing up with a mom who is an artist?"
The most common question that I always get is "How long does it take you to paint one of these?"
Most of us artists live and breath our work so how long is only relevant to what?  I answered it took me 50 years and 6 weeks.

I worked on the painting shown above for more than 6 weeks.