Having been born profoundly deaf and only being able to hear what she describes as fuzz, Patricia has spent her entire life struggling with the communication breakdown that continually happens between the deaf and the hearing worlds.

With the deaf community being a very small one, Patricia relies upon writing and an interpreter to be her ears and voice amongst those who are unfamiliar with sign language.

As a result, Patricia has embraced visual arts as a medium to express her thoughts and feelings of living in a world with no sound and is about to launch her first solo exhibition Deafness Feeling.

“Basically the exhibition is how I see my world and the different ways the community does,” she said.

“It is how you feel in a deaf world.”

The exhibition focus heavily on hands, which act as Patricia’s voice, as well as ears in certain scenarios that act as a metaphor for how it feels to be deaf.

Each of Patricia’s paintings has a meaning behind it, similar to each hand movement in sign language.

Patricia hopes the exhibition will break down some of the barriers that regularly isolate her in simple, everyday tasks.

“I want to bring an understanding between the deaf and the hearing,” she said.

“The most frustrating thing about being deaf is the communication breakdown that can happen.”

Aside from expressing deafness through her work, Patricia has included a positive and uplifting message in the exhibition.

“It’s a way to say to people I can do whatever I want to do,” she said.

“I am hoping to show the deaf can be the same as hearing people.”

Being deaf means Patricia has had to rely more heavily on her other senses as well and, like many deaf people, reads people’s body language to gain a better understanding of what the person is saying.

Patricia feels confident and pleased with her creations.

“I am not nervous, I am excited,” she said.

“I hope people enjoy it and are able to experience a deaf world.

“Hopefully it will be a real eye-opener.”

Deafness Hearing will be opened at 6.30pm today in the B BLock Gallery at Orange TAFE by the Deaf Society of New South Wales president Michelle McGuire, who happens to be the only non-deaf member of an entirely deaf family.