Hands in Art & Healing

Drawing the Hands

In my life-drawing classes at NCAD, our tutor constantly stressed the importance of being able to draw the hands. He would chide us about monuments and paintings we had not yet examined, in particular the statue of James Larkin (Big Jim) that stands in the main street of our capital city.  

‘Did you look at his hands?’ he would repeatedly goad us. Larkin is remembered for his role in fighting for the rights of unskilled workers. The sculpture, created by Oisin Kelly, captures his pose from a scene in which he was addressing a crowd.

I had often passed that formidable statue, one day, I stopped for a closer look. The outstretched arms of James Larkin certainly made a striking pose and his hands appeared to be holding up the sky.

So as to put an end to my art tutor's weekly taunts, I took out my sketch book and began to draw a quick impression. Now I had proof that I had looked at the hands of James Larkin. I put my sketch on the wall beside our other homework for class review. The tutor never asked us about James Larkin's hands again.

Now I had that I had looked at the hands of James Larkin.

Art of Caroline

Self-Portrait of My Own Hand

Part way through my art studies I had to under-go eye surgery for the removal of cataracts from both my eyes, as a result of my history of retinal detachment. I was optimistic as I had the best specialist and surgeon that I could hope for. Within eight days I had two surgeries, one for each eye, resulting in replacement of my natural lens with artificial ones.

Authentic Hand

There were many sensations as a result of my 'new vision'. It was an excitement to the brain to experience the vibrancy of colours that had been dissolving from my vision over time.

I now could see details in the distance that I could't previously see with glasses. My near vision was also new. My brain was undergoing an adjustment to my new artificial lens. Curious about this, I devised a way to test my new sight.

I decided to paint my left hand from life. I painted with my right hand, opening all the tubes of paint before I started, ensuring that I could leave my other hand in place as much as possible, so as not to alter its position. I made some markers so that I could take necessary breaks and return to the exact pose.

That’s how my painting ‘Authentic Hand’ came about. I did not appear to be missing many details. In fact I could even see the veins beneath my skin, as it was quite warm in the glass filled conservatory where I had completed the piece.