We work with them, create with them, comfort with them. Along with birds, hands are one of my most used images. But why? There is something intimate about the image of a hand, the tactile command center of our bodies. With them we explore our world. When I use hands in my collage work they are almost always the focal point. Hands seem to draw the eye in. They are familiar, you know something like the back of your hand. They are symbols of a caring nature when you lend a helping hand. They are congratulatory in applause, respectful in a salute, serene in prayer. Our hands could tell many stories of children raised, meals cooked and days of hard work.
I recall a day so many years ago sitting with my great-grandmother and my mother on a porch swing, my tiny "Mama Burkeen" sitting between my mother and I. She was by this time almost completely deaf so we communicated this day without words. As we swung gently my mother held one frail hand and I held the other. Words were not necessary as my great-grandmother's contentment was nearly palatable. Even then I knew that simply being with us in that moment in time meant the world to her. Mama Burkeen smiled peacefully and my mother spoke softly to me, "Think of all these sweet hands have done."
I did think about it, for a very long time.
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you have given me goosebumps~!~ as you describe the importance and symbolism in hands in art. and your newest piece of "hand" work is gorgeous~!!!~
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libbyQ
What a neat memory Rhonda... And you're right about all the things we take for granted that our hands do. I was having a problem (think I was cutting too many mats!) with my left hand and it's all I could think about... "What if I lost the use of my hand!" It would be horrible. Thanks for making me take a minute to be grateful for them...
ReplyDeleteThat brings tears to my eyes. We should all be so lucky to share the peace of grounding times like that with those we love. Thank you for sharing this one with us. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my, such beautiful language...and put me right there in that swing with you. Imagery doesn't get any better, Rhonda. Thank you. And now I have another thing to add to my "tell Rhonda about" list. No, make that two...no, three! The list is really growing! Oh, and your hand art is lovely. Tell me what those little gold flourishes are made of? They're very pretty!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful story! I use my hands all day at work, and they are rough and cut and I have occasionally had a big cut and it shocks me into the realization that I could lose the use of a hand... Now that I am an avid knitter I would be lost without the rhythm of both my hands clicking away with the needles. Thinking back on family memories, I held my mother's hand when she was in pain, and my father's while he died. I sometimes still hold my fiance's hand as we fall asleep.
ReplyDeleteThat is absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAnd i'm moving to Missoula, MT in the beginning of June. My boyfriend and I are driving from New York and taking the southern route so I can visit some of my family. I'm so excited for the trip! It's the beginning of a scary but exciting journey.... I just realized you aren't too far (relatively speaking) from Montana! Thats very exciting too! =)