In my artistic journey, I traverse various media—acrylics, ink, charcoal, pastels, mosaics, and ceramics. My work, predominantly figurative, often features body parts, with a consistent inclusion of hands. To me, the hand symbolizes humanity’s progress—a testament to our supremacy over other earthly beings. Its flexible fingers serve myriad purposes: grasping, guiding, controlling, expressing skill, offering assistance, exerting influence, participating, conducting, and providing unwavering support.

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Hands, akin to faces, reveal a person’s essence. Each gesture etches character and emotional states into existence. My fascination lies in exploring the human form and its emotional depths through an intimate study of hands.

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In my creative process, I blend contemporary and historical hand imagery. “The Wall of Heroes,” a mosaic piece, draws inspiration from eighteenth-century Japanese prints to modern-day photography. Whether working from models or utilizing advertising visuals, I weave together the threads of time and culture.

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Human bodies and hands captivate me—the interplay of light, shadow, and contrast renders them almost abstract. My charcoal drawings, in particular, teeter on the edge of ambiguity and sensuality.

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And then there’s the act of creation itself—an almost Zen-like experience. As my hands shape the intangible, my unconscious imagination dances through meditation, leaving traces of emotion and wonder on the paper.

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Michelle Long, MFA

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