Patricia Underwood
Mixed Media Artist

Body of Work:
"Healing Shields

Title:  "Breaking Skin" (Sold)

Size:  30" x 40"

Media:  Handmade Paper,   Mixed Media

Notes:  “Breaking Skin” was conceived to symbolize racism and the divisive energy it carries. A universal human image is seen in two halves. This is the key to our commonality – that it takes duality to make up any whole and that we all are made up of this duality. The concept of “the other” is actually always a part of us. It refers to any group or person that our mind sees as different, strange, inferior, to-be-feared. What we fear, judge, condemn or subjugate is actually part of ourselves, that dualistic nature. What this does is break apart our psychic skin, both collectively and individually. The figure has many ropes of skin, in many colors. These represent the multitude of tones and hues of our human skins. A long beaded “backbone” goes down each half of the two parts, tightly woven and solidly configured, giving structure to the figure. Towards the bottom, this begins to fray and unravel, symbolizing the state of consciousness we, as humans on this planet, are in at present.