It's a common problem we socially awkward souls have: what to do with our hands. I spend a lot of time thinking about this (too much, in fact), which has lead me to a possible avenue for conceptual exploration in my paintings.

I got a little burned out after I finished my senior year at Santa Clara. I liked the concept I was exploring before and that I continue to ponder (see my artist's statement), but I wanted something more. I wanted to go broader. How else do people broadcast who they are?

I started to think about my hands, and what they say about me. They're kind of big. They're strong. They're frequently covered in paint. I find myself playing with them when I'm nervous. They look best intertwined with someone else's. They say a lot.

It's not just my blabbermouth hands that give me away; everyone's hands have quite a bit to say. What they're holding, what they're doing, how they look, how old they are, what they do for a living. I'm fascinated. There's no going back.

What I'm wondering now is this: is everyone as interested in hands as I am? Are these paintings visually interesting at all, or do I have some more playing to do in terms of composition and subject matter?