Hand of Fatma. This little painting/collage was inspired by a silver pendant of the Hand Of Fatma or Hamsa (meaning 5 in Arabic) Which is a symbol commonly seen in the Middle East to ward of bad spirits, negative engery and evil, or just as a symbol of protection and positivity as I like to see it. So I made this little piece to hang in front of the door (Acrylic on Canvas,sequins, beads, sari material and shells from India 35cm x 45cm) The shells are Cowrie shells and they are very common in India and Africa and often used as decoration for clothes and fabrics. In Africa the shells are a fertility symbol (I'm not sure if the same is true in India)