From show judge Stephanie Zeiler: As I stood at the front of the gallery and quickly surveyed the room before I took a closer look, this piece caught my attention and I found myself walking up to it first. The composition is engaging, moves the eye and keeps me locked in. The angle and perspective of the viewer “looking in” is dynamic with strong diagonals giving the feeling of energy while also just a slight uneasiness to the subject . Whether purposeful or “by accident” this creates a depth of emotion, further strengthened by the cropping of the subject, how all points lead you to the hands doing the work, but also washed over by water, something that is purifying and life bringing and cleansing. The treatment and depiction of the hands just further adds to the overall concept. Whose hands are these? What’s their story? The choice of texture and the flat black in the background and the garment help pull everything together