Painting a Concept

Yikes!

I have bitten off an interesting project (more on that later) but I need your input:

Imagine painting a CONCEPT instead of a "thing."  The concept may be represented by a thing (or place) but start with the IDEA not the item.  (For instance: the concept of love or romance is often represented using a heart shape).  Now here is the concept:

COMMON GROUND

Common ground could be that area (or thing) that two opposing forces (or people or countries) can accept or agree upon as a starting point for conversation, compromise or enlightenment.

Please don't groan (I hear you), it's not really a homework assignment, just think about it a bit while stopped at red lights this week and then share your thoughts.  How do I say "common ground" in 2D?

I have been working on an ABSTRACT depiction of the concept lately but am not really satisfied that it addresses the issue clearly.  This is a work in progress but the common ground is, of course, the gray bleed that happens when the purple and the yellow overlap.  Hmmmm.

Here's another experiment:

Obviously the red and the blue are significant political designations. Reading l to R shows a lot more common ground (various shades of purple) at first. The middle block has less purple but a lot more than the last block where there is no common ground at all.  This piece is also progress; I think it could use a lot more variation in shading as well as a more interesting background.  The optimist of course could hang it the piece "upside down" to illustrate that our elected leaders are getting closer to more common ground.  We can only hope.

Here is another, less abstract go at it:

This feels a little too "logo"-ish to me...thinking also how to fill in the rest of the circle.  Do you see clearly what the "common ground(s)" is?

Anyhoo, the depiction does not have to be political. or Abstract.  I am hoping to find a more concrete illustration.  What do you see as "common ground?" Think, please think.  And share.  Hit reply if you receive this in email or add to "comments" if you get it in google/facebook/or blogger.  I will be so appreciative.  And I promise to keep you in the loop.

Thanks.

Colorfully, Conceptually, Yours,

Cindy