A protective hand, or khamsa, with bits of blue enamel still showing.
Hands. They were the first tools, the first bowls, the first way to comfort, to fight, to feed ourselves, to make music, to count.
Hands amaze me. The ancient image of a hand, the khamsa, is known to most ancient cultures as a protective talisman. Some have complicated, intricate designs. Some are shown with stones, generally blue ones, to indicate the eye of the almighty–the sky.
We have two of them and can use them independently or together. We clap to keep time to music, to show approval, to get attention. They make music, their shadows dance on walls. Without them we can’t write, wave, eat, brush our teeth, open doors.
Hunters and gatherers both need them. They are the artist’s first tools and ultimate control of the medium. The shape is familiar from petroglyphs to the spirit world. Useful, artful, sacred in prayer.
I’m grateful for my beat up, scarred, arthritic ones. I remember when I had long nails and tapered fingers. It was before I practiced my art every day. And I like these better. They’ve made art.
–Quinn McDonald knows that every artist is a creator.
I have a friend who lost his eyes and hands at age 19 when a bomb blew up in his face. Yet, today he makes lovely pottery and has undertaken wood turning as a new interest. He made a beautiful mahogany bowl while at the Hines Center a few months ago. It puts me to shame when I, with good eyes and hands, hear myself say “I can’t draw or I’m not an artist” when I know perfectly well that is not true. I simply haven’t put the effort into it that he has. If you have time or interest you can watch a short video of him at work. Google An Unlikely Potter and then we can talk more about hands…and the lack of.
On another note, I so appreciate your presence in my world. I have a daughter in Phoenix who also puts wonderful energy into the world working with the homeless. One day when I am visiting perhaps you and I can have a meet and greet. Are you the Quinn helping Connie Solera with her new website? Inquiring minds…
Different Quinn….Quinn Whissen.
And Pam, are you Connie’s Mom? I don’t know Connie personally but we are FB friends.
I saw the video and he is pretty amazing, I must say. I can’t imagine how he learned to work in both clay and wood.
Traci stepped in and answered your question, so no, I’m not the Quinn who does websites. I’m a writer, but the constructing part of websites is beyond my paygrade. I just had a great company, AdMix Social, do my new site.
Lovely, Quinn! My two hands are clapping (as well as typing). I have often thought about creating an artist book dedicated to Hands… thanks for the inspiration!
That would be a great artist book!
Hands have magic in them. I remember being fascinated by the thinning skin on my mother’s hand when I was a child . . . she would slap my hands away so now, when my grandheart shows the same fascination I let her explore and talk about the the things my hands have done. We compare the skin, check out my callouses (I have to admit, not as many as I used to have), and talk about how skin regenerates. I just love being a grandmother . . . best occupation ever!
A grandmother makes the best teacher to curious grandhearts. I sometimes look at my hands and am amazed and how they have aged in the last few years.