Artist and Maine-native Kelin Underwood said she's never eaten peyote but has traveled a lot.
"I had this serious anxiety issue and was not, like, bound to one place but kind of feeling stuck, like I could never branch out," she said.
So she took her dog and a bunch of art she made in high school and took off across the States.
"I sold art across the country and gave art to a lot of people and was just kind of interacting with the world in a very different way that was very beautiful and amazing for me," Underwood said. "And it kind of gave me a more tangible perspective on life and what I want for my life."
After passing through Albuquerque eight months ago, she returned in October and enrolled in the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics. She will host Solstice Art Share at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday at 2105 St. Cyr Avenue S.E., near CNM.
"It's basically just a gathering, and people bring their art work, and it's an art swap," she said. "People will come with their creations, and if there's a piece of someone else's work they're into and want to trade something for, if there can be that exchange, that's kind of the essence of my idea."
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She said the solstice signifies change and rebirth, so it was a good time to organize the art swap. She said art and healing go hand-in-hand.
"I'm at a place where maybe I'm wanting people to come and experience some sort of healing through my art or receive something that opens something up for them, and for me to give that to people - it's like healing for me as well," she said. "And at some point in my life I want to be able to practice hands-on healing and art healing."
Underwood's paintings and 3-D works incorporate abstract forms based on the human body.
"My art is basically about growth and struggle and growing through those struggles," Underwood said. "With the colors that I use, even.. And the movement or the position of the body signifies an emotion or something. It's pretty much been my own guidance. I never went to (art) school, but I feel like everything in my life and everyone in my life kind of teaches me."
