The Force in the Figure.

Charcoal on Paper, 8 x 24.5 inches.

"His Entreaty...to give Rest" Pastel on Paper

In the last year I've drawn my hand several times. Each time, I've used the experience to attempt deeper access to the emotions, thoughts and relations to others associated with the gesture before me. In the charcoal above I've revisited a pose I first explored on the left. My goal was to engage with the idea of welcome or receptivity and how we bring about this mood or state of affairs though the configuration of our hands. I'm more and more aware recently of the power of our posture. Our hands comprise so much of or capacity to care, create and configure our world. Our hands communicate our intentions, attitudes and settled tones with respect to others. Like words, gestures bring about states of affairs and I want to be sensitive to how I use them to the betterment of others. As I drew the charcoal above, I found myself overcome with the darkness and despair of certain situations, especially the death of certain important people in my life. I found peace and reassurance in knowing that there is One who enters into our struggles and extends his hand so that we might endure the darkness and emerge into light. By drawing I can fix into an image something profound, I can embed the fleeting into the figures.

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