Women’s
fertility: a study in clay
“Don’t underestimate the power of the uterus,” said Samantha Patwardhan,
MD, an obstetrician/gynecologist and artist who gave the January 11 Arts in
Medicine talk, titled “Women’s fertility: A study in clay.”
Even though Patwardhan works full time at Partners in Women’s Health
at Rose Medical Center, she still has the time and passion for her
artwork. This could be due to the influence her mother had on her since childhood.
“
My mother is an artist and had a big influence on both my brother
and me to do artwork in all mediums,” she said. In her early college
days, she studied biology and art, concentrating on ceramics. Eventually,
she went on to study medicine at the University of Virginia and earned
her specialty Ob/Gyn training from the University of Maryland.
Patwardhan believes there is a strong parallel between art and obstetrics
in that she works with her hands in both. She compares the growing
and developing pregnant woman with a developing piece of clay - both begin
in one form and
end up in another. “Pregnancy is a growing process much like molding
a piece of sculpture,” she said.
When asked how she thinks art helps her with her everyday work, she
said, “It helps me to run my practice. Art helps me communicate better
with patients and colleagues.” Patwardhan believes her interaction with
patients and colleagues are improved because of her involvement with art.
She believes that a common interest “bonding” can occur with a
patient who sees, and comments on, a piece of her art in the office.
Patwardhan uses many symbols in her pieces: many from old paintings,
photos and Aboriginal art. One well-used symbol that she has used
throughout the years is the woman depicted as a tree with the tree signifying
a strong
woman with deep roots and outreaching branches and in some photos
giving birth to a baby. Here is a sample of Patwardhan’s work and the
birth of Adonis.
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| Patwardhan's Woman Tree | Birth of Adonis |
Other symbols she has incorporated into her art pieces are swirls
and fiddleheads, sunbursts and coronas, mandalas and vessels. Artists
who have influenced her sculptors and clay works are Judy Chicago,
Mark Chagall, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keefe.
The Arts and Medicine lecture series is held every Monday at noon
and can be seen in the Third Floor Lecture Hall in the School of
Medicine at the Ninth Ave. campus.
