Rebirth

Do all women go through life without changing, without re-inventing themselves, without evolving? I don't think so. I think we're all the time changing depending where we are in life - starting as children and learning, the excitement and angst of teenage years, early adulthood, meeting lovers, falling in love and deciding who we want to spend the rest of our lives with, having children, raising children, letting them leave home and then finally becoming the person we want to be, shedding an old life for the excitement of a new one, maybe divorcing the old life and starting afresh. That's what its all about isn't it? I know we don't all live exciting lives, I know that we all have pressures of work, relationships and finances (or lack of them!) but we all change, bit by bit we change. And how do we feel when that happens? Is there a feeling of rebirth, of a new start? Of fresh horizons? I believe so. And that is what I wanted to celebrate and depict in my latest painting, that feeling of rising up from the ashes of a past life with new wings, ready to face the new challenges, full of life and vigour, feeling light as a feather, strong and free. That's the feeling I've painted here in this watercolour, using vibrant reds and golds for the fire below, and light pale colours for the light and air above, depicting the woman as stretching and floating up - her wings giving her new life and new hope. Awaiting the change and relishing it! Happy and free! Reborn! And that is why it's called "Phoenix" - rising from the ashes to become the new. And I love it! As a woman I love the concept, as a painter I love the image, and as an artist I love the colours!