Artist: Charlotte Condie
Title: Protection
Material: digital painting
About the artwork: In the Buddhist tradition, the Ardhapataka mudra is a hand gesture to ward off and overcome obstacles or nuisances in a person’s life. It’s a gesture symbolizing the freeing of oneself from challenges and is often used in Buddhist sculpture and icons. The same hand gesture is used in numerous depictions of Christ from Ravenna mosaics to Da Vinci’s Salvator Mundi. The gesture is used in Catholic priesthood blessings, according to legend, out of respect for Peter who was said to have ulnar nerve damage. With a new year and a continuing global pandemic, a gesture that spans religious tradition feels appropriate; a gesture that protects, blesses, and removes obstacles. Just as lotus flowers spring and bloom in muddy water, perhaps human growth and expansion will best be seen in its struggle in the mud of nature or of our own making. We require an arsenal of protection in moving forward.
About the Artist:
Charlotte Condie is an artist currently working in a digital medium. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and four children. Her sources of inspiration are many but often draw from religious/spiritual themes, street art, and mid-century vintage illustration.