Prayers for Gaza 2023

Oil on Canvas, Portrait, Impressionism
 
Prayers for Gaza, 2024 was my response to the first attack on Gaza - an expression of grief, witness, and deep sacred humanity in the face of devastation.
 
At its center, a solitary woman rises with arms lifted - caught between lament and prayer - surrounded by a fractured world that feels both distant and immediate. The brushstrokes move with urgency, echoing chaos and sorrow, while a quiet halo of light holds the figure in something sacred, unbroken.
 
As I painted, the work became a prayer spoken through color and gesture: “O Allah, protect the people of Palestine. Ease their pain and suffering. O Most Merciful, envelop them in Your mercy. Open hearts to give and respond in this time of crisis. Care for those in need, wherever they may be. Ameen.” 
 
There is no resolution here, only presence - a holding of grief, a reaching toward mercy, and a quiet, enduring hope that rises even in the midst of senseless devastation.