This gallery is an offshoot of my "hand prints" gallery where I examine the many uses of hands. Here my subject is children's hands, specifically children's hands making art.

When I got seriously into photography, I started taking my camera to the art classes in the K-5 school where I've been volunteering since 2001. Much as I loved taking the photos, I realized none of them could be published without parental permission, and getting such permission would require my jumping through complex bureaucratic hoops. But if I simply took photos of the children's hands, they would not be identifiable and I could share them as I liked.

So this gallery was born more of necessity than inspiration. Of course now that I've been at it for awhile, I am totally hooked on hands. And the teacher likes it because I tell the kids I will only be taking photos of students who are at their seats making art. And it works!

By the way, when you see the children's hands flashing a peace sign at the end of this gallery, that is exactly what they do every time they leave the art room.

I suggest using the slideshow to view this gallery.