At long last, "Park Princess Playdate" is done! I started this painting about 8 months ago. It's 30"x40" so it's a big one. Cloaked in princess imagery, the OC is ripe for the ribbing in this painting. I created this painting in response to being a mom in the OC, the many different types of moms I encounter and my feelings about being a part of a town that boggles my mind. From left to right, here's a who who in case you don't recognize them: Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora (Sleeping Beauty), Belle (Beauty and the Beast) and Ariel (The Little Mermaid). This painting has layers of symbolism for me. In the background is all their castles, see if you can recognize which one belongs to which princess! Notice the children and how they are different from normal kids. Notice Ariel's fish children. Hmmmm....even her little one is a fish in a bowl. And notice how they are not meeting each other's eyes, they exist separately here at the park, all wrapped up in their own little world. When I first moved here, this is how I felt, like Snow White just coming onto the scene. What to make of all of it? I was filled with mixed emotions for sure. Anger, sadness, alienation...who was I now? And any new mom could probably relate. Years later, I now understand each "princesses" plight a little more and their lives beyond the surface. Plumb below the surface and I have found out they each struggle with something different. I have grown to have more compassion for them.
I am now working on portraits of each of the princesses, each containing in essence their true self beyond the park facade or what they might be struggling with on a personal level. I'd love to hear what you think of this painting and what you "get" from it!
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