And continues..continues...continues..

I'm trying to do something different with my paintings while still keeping the same style that appeals to me visually.  I want to use a phrase I recently said to a friend, "I'm tired of trying to live my life crawling through this picture someone has painted of me based on what he is going through," to be the basis for the group of paintings.  I want the art to show the struggle of being downed by criticism and what others say, to change into starting to believe in myself and finally  just simply being who I am.  The first painting is this one, if you look close you can see that it's "raining criticism", pretty literal interpretation and not at all subtle with the withering flower.  But, it does appeal to me.  (What can I say, I am a simple person.)

This is actually the 3rd painting, but it is larger than the other two and I want it to dominate the grouping.  It's self explanatory and I may not put any text on it.  Not sure yet.  I just want it to be bright and simple and happy, which is something I've tried to put into many of my paintings.  Obviously not finished.

And this is the 2nd.  I'm hoping people will read the group as they do a monogram, left, right, center.  This one is the coneflower starting to bloom "learning to breathe".  Trying to see myself outside of this image that men or people paint of me based on their lives.  I like who I am better if people look at me clearly, rather than muddied by what they want to see or what they have lived.  I think the trick is seeing myself clearly and not worrying about others.  Easier when not in bad relationships.  Ahh...the actual joyful part of being single!  I need to look at this painting again tomorrow in natural light.  The lighting in this house is horrid.  It looks muted, which is what I want, kind of a muted, but bring spring look, but then I take it into different light to photograph it and aaahhhh too yellow!