Grace

oil on panel, 20" x 20"

The position of the hands in this painting is sign language for "grace". The landscape is war-torn, contrasting with the title. One hand seems to have white feathers, like a dove (christian symbol for the holy spirit) descending on a bald head, perhaps a monk or a soldier. The bird-hand is semi-transparent, ephemeral, suited for the spiritual. Its touch has a rippling effect. The vertical hand seems to struggle with mortality, entropy. It feels like it is sinking, but it is resistant, elegant but raw.

In terms of composition, the square is essentially divided by an "x". The hand is in the upper left, while the head the lower right, forming one diagonal, while the winged hand makes the other.