Labyrinth COMPLETED!

After two months of hard work and the generous support of volunteers, I can proudly say that Loyola University's Medieval Labyrinth is finally fully restored, and then some!

Click below to see more of the excellent additions!

In the middle of this shot, you can see a playful and colorful elephant added in by returning volunteer and graduate student, Karen!

I colored this owl, perhaps questionably so (the owl's face would seem to agree with me). Karen, however, delightfully added to this a group of studious mice learning from the wise old owl. 

Feeling obligated to include something Ignatian in the labyrinth, here I painted this fierce wolf  surrounded by Loyolan maroon. Rumor has it if this wolf preys on incoming freshman, being the weakest and most prone to error. 

The use of these heat lamps was crucial in providing us a warm surface on which to apply the paint. Also if you knocked into them, they could explode. That was always fun.

However, I am most proud of the new additions placed outside the labyrinth. Starting as a "wouldn't this be neat?" idea, Dr. Gross-Diaz, the other volunteers, and I got down to an ambitious inclusion of the four Evangelists, taken straight from that masterpiece of medieval illumination, the Book of Kells!

This comes in coloring book format. That blew my mind when I learned that.

Through the work of freshman volunteers such as returning painter Poonam and Bobby, as well as the good Doctor and myself, we were able to have these four evangelists, in true medieval fashion, watching over the four cardinal points of the world.

The Angel of St. Matthew.

The Lion of St. Mark.

The Ox of St. Luke.

The Eagle of St. John, at the Entrance to the Labyrinth. I'd say it's fitting.

Please stop by the labyrinth at Crown Center to see the thing in its entirety.

VERY SOON, WE WILL HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE TO SHOW OFF OUR LABYRINTH. AS I SAID, IT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL FACULTY AND STAFF AND IT WILL BE ON "STUDY DAY," THE WEDNESDAY OF FINALS. MORE DETAILS FORTHCOMING; PLEASE TUNE IN TO THIS BLOG!