Ben Shahn Hands

I didn't become a fan of Ben Shahn's work until I was older, despite growing up with a book of his drawings (OUNCE, DICE, TRICE by Alistair Reid). Last Christmas, I was surprised and happy to receive the above print from my wife as a gift. The print is in my studio now. And I am reminded of how much I think about hands and how much I want to be able to put hands in my drawings. I mean, for instance: if we are alone, talking on the phone, we still use our hands to gesticulate even though there is no one to see us. People always use hands. They are part of the way express ourselves. So, as cartoonists, we need to be able to be fearless hand drawers. Like I tell my cartoon classes, you can always tell a beginner artist because they will be hiding hands in their drawings; putting them in pockets or behind people's backs, etc. And you can't get away with that forever! Here is Ben Shahn, a master of many things -- including drawing hands.