I painted this fun painting inspired a bit by a dream I had in which I was told that I was wounded in my heart and my hands. At the time I also physically had a little pain in my shoulder and upon awakening, I took this to mean that there was some dis-connect between what my heart really wants and what my hands are actually doing. So, the round painting became my prayer to connect my heart and my hands...to be more mindful about what I'm doing each day in my life...that there be something deeply meaningful and connected to my authentic Heart.
Around this time I was also beginning to seriously consider the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Uganda, as part of an art team. I ended up using some of these hand prints in my email headers about that and other work I was offering.
The trip materialized and just days before I left, I painted the larger part. On a 4x4-ft square paper on the floor, I squatted in the middle of the sheet and let my hands full of paint glide out from the center, radiating my prayerful wish to reach out and connect with the world. A week later, my hands were giving out crayons, tying beaded bracelets, blowing bubbles and touching the faces of beautiful children on the other side of the globe. Of course, I can't say the painting alone made it all happen, but for me it's become a powerful symbol and a integral thread in the tapestry of this whole experience.