Hi, am just starting to review the ranked entries and suggest some finetuning. First let me say how difficult it is for me to choose my favorite of your entries. Your first concept was fairly conventional but so beautifully executed. I still take time to look at it whenever I go to the contest page.
Your second concept is quite original and lends itself to many variations. I like that it is so stimulating to look at, and the colours are lively. It is really difficult to settle on a favorite version. One of the things I am pondering is the "open hands" versions
#138, 139, 131 (lively, inviting) versus the "closed hands" versions
#82, 136, 140 (comforting, restful). Aside from the two messages they communicate, I think the open hands bother me a little because I end up thinking a little bit about where the hands are coming from (growing out of the letters), whereas on the closed versions, the hands just fade gently into the surrounding background colour. I think that this kind of distraction is not a good thing in a logo.
My husband really likes
#75 but has concerns about how it could work in B/W. I think it might work better than the
#82 series.
BTW, how would
#33 translate into B/W? I think it might be quite handsome.
I do still like
#83, although you are so good with pattern, its simplicity perhaps does not do justice to your talents.
If you have any ideas regarding the above, I would like to see/hear from you.