Refining or Over Thinking?

Sometimes it is hard to know if changing the original idea is improving matters or not.  Below are three takes on the same subject.   There is not a photo of the set-up, but the first image below is the closest to the subject matter, which was painted from life last week.  I decided to remove the red pomegranate shape on the table level, which I thought dominated the pattern of the light roses above.

Take One

Take Two

Goodbye pomegranate -- now, with that strong color removed, the roses came more into focus.  Then I started thinking (uh oh) that the red berry shapes by the roses were too dominant, especially without the red shape on the table, so I muted them, as below:

Take Three, "Welcome Home," 30 x 20, Gallery Wrap

Now, looking at all three, I'm not certain that I improved matters, but c'est la vie...At least Take Three is softer, more about the roses, and quite different, just by changing a few elements.  Such judgments, large and small, are the stuff of painting that can't be defined.  It is a personal call, not always right or wrong, but surely different!

Patterns

Soft Touch, 30 x 40

Subtle color, rhythm of dark and light -- these concepts are a kind of fall pattern for me!  The brighter colors of the summer paintings no longer inspire, and I have been playing with simple shape and design.   I now think I need more PAINT, perhaps some palette knife work, not sure...but I want to shake things up!

The good news is that I finally have the month ahead to paint without travel or much distraction.  I'm excited, since I want to try some new approaches.  Perhaps I'll do some figurative work, or some simple and universal landscapes.  It should be a fine time to slip out of comfortable patterns and see what bubbles up!