A New Line of Art Prints Hopes to Spur Conversations That Bridge People's Differences

Idol Hands, a series of 11 abstract hands in familiar poses, was created by artist Annessa Morrison, an expert on the healing power of art

PRESCOTT, Ariz., Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- When done well, art can spark conversations among strangers and intimates alike. It can also help people to heal. With that in mind, Prescott, Arizona, resident Annessa Morrison has created a set of 11 art prints that feature hands because she says, they are expressive, personal and embody the characteristics of the person they belong to. Working under the name Abstract Annessa, she has been painting full-time for eight years after discovering that viewing and creating art helped her heal from debilitating lupus and fibromyalgia.

Morrison's Idol Hands were conceived as a call to action to find out what people have in common. She visited local parks to ask strangers to model for her. She says that 90% of the people she asked to be her hand models agreed to do so; she then instructed them on how to position their hands (i.e., fingers crossed, handshake, peace sign, thumbs up, etc.).

"You can't tell the race or gender of the hands [in the paintings], which was deliberate," she says. "Race and gender are important but you have to guess them in the paintings. The models ranged in age from six to their seventies."

All of the images feature a cricket and other hidden objects, some as many as 11. The Third Eye print, two hands pressed together, contains 11 hidden objects. Morrison says, "In my understanding, the third eye is where we see from a divine perspective. Have we lost the ability to see from the perspective of the ether or deity that we may tout as our meaning? When is the last time we changed our thoughts to try and process information from a kinder and purer place than that caught up in the mass of everyday life? Are we too busy to see through the eyes of compassion? Can we see through the eyes of compassion with someone who does not believe exactly as we do?"

Morrison sells the prints on her website. They range in price from $9.99 for a digital download to several hundred dollars, with giclée and archival prints the most expensive.

The collection will be touring. Its first stop is the Prescott Valley library where it has been for a couple of months where it will remain until Oct. 15.

Institutions wishing to arrange a showing of the original artworks may contact Morrison through her website.

Annessa Morrison is a working artist and painter who creates art using 15 distinct techniques that she has found help immerse individuals in the act of looking at art. She also speaks to groups about self-healing. She holds an associate degree in graphic design from Platt College.

Contact Annessa Morrison at (928) 830-3935; [email protected]; https://abstractannessa.com

SOURCE Annessa Morrison