Stigmata

This one is a little off track, but it deals with something that I feel really strongly about, that is the obedient acceptance by children of dogma and religious rules and regulations. The teddy bears symbolise that innocence that is so brutally "stigmata-ed" in the psyches of children and their optimistic hope of moving towards a space devoid of pressure and prejudice. (For those of you who don't know, stigmata is the supposed bleeding of the palms of staunt Christians). I only chose the Christian religion as it is the doctrine closest to my Western way of thinking that symbolises the concept of dogma. I could just as easily have chosen a symbol from Islam or Judaism.... 50cm x 1m oil and embroidered wool on linen (Very proud of my two embroidered trees. You should have seen my fingers afterwards... :()