After my writing sabbatical a few months ago I made the decision to ditch TV watching and rather paint,  if I had any spare time.

This frees up at least a few hours per week. Over the past two weeks I have been fascinated with painting an image of a hand reaching out of the darkness. So, I’ve painted it. Lots.

The first one I painted felt like it was meant for someone, but I didn’t know for whom until a few days ago when I delivered it to a friend who had been in hospital over this past week. It turned out it was meant for them.

The others have been inspired by the first. They have been much quicker watercolours and have been painted on trains, in pubs and in lighthouse cafe:  

  
 One was a commission for a friend’s daughter for her birthday that had some specific words and colours that I felt were appropriate for them:  I’ve also painted a much bigger one (roughly 1 metre square) with a poem that I felt I needed to include with it.

I’m not too sure if the poem with it works but I love the words and the encouragement of trust and to have faith.

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light, that I may tread safely into the unknown!”

And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”

So, I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night

And He led me toward the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.

So, heart, be still!

What need our little life,

Our human life, to know,

If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife

Of things both high and low

God hideth His intention.

The Desert 1908

Minnie Louise Haskins 1876 – 1957

Quoted by King George 6th,Christmas 1939

Putting your hand into God’s hand is much better than going along a path that is a known way.

The first painting I did of the hand will be available as a print size A1, which is 59.4 by 84.1 cm.

 Let me know if you would be interested in purchasing a limited signed print. They cost £45 which includes postage.