Caitlin Connolly: HOW DID I GET HERE?

THE STORY: These are two paintings with the same title: How Did I Get Here? They share similar imagery and themes, but I prefer the one on top. That's the one I'm discussing.

A woman, eyes closed, leans to the side, where an army of body-less hands supports her. The woman has collapsed and is being pushed forward and supported by the hands.

THE ANALYSIS: One of the elements I particularly like in the first image is the strong geometry. It gives the whole painting a grounding of strength and power to me, with all the right angles and diagonal lines of motion. When you look at the woman's torso, you see that one of the hands--the one hanging like a limp fish--is her own, and that both her hand and her arm are being supported by the disembodied hands.

I also like the sheer number of hands on this woman. It reminds me of two aspects of being a woman: the feeling of people, large and small, tugging on your legs and hair and shirt and needing needing needing something from you right this minute, and also the way that other women are so quick to throw out their arms to support each other and propel each other back on course. There is also one hand gently cupped on the woman's head. That, coupled with the white clothing, the woman's halo, and the translucence of the hands and arms appearing, reminds me of priesthood power--the power of God--and unseen help from the other side of the veil.

The woman's feet are also quite prominent in the first painting. That brings up a lot of associations, including, to me, the phrase 'dead on her feet' and the idea of having work to do. Places those feet--those exhausted feet--need to go.

PERSONAL IMPACT: This painting gives me a lot to think about. I feel like it does an A+ job capturing both the exhaustion and despair women often experience and the support, seen and unseen, that waits for us.

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