Tennessee Labyrinth

Photo credit: Blackberry Mountain

This project was designed and led by Thea Alvin (myearthwork.com). I’m grateful I got to help.

Thea Alvin’s labyrinth at Blackberry Mountain Resort

It’s been over a year since we built this. It’s been over a year since a group of (mostly) strangers joined Thea Alvin in eastern Tennessee to help her build what she envisioned as a monument to love. I feel so lucky to have been a part of this project.

When I got back to Maine, I missed the people (I wrote about it here). I still do. It was a special group. But now, a little over a year removed from the experience, I’m reckoning with how deeply it affected my work. 

Earlier this year I had a piece of art in an exhibit put on by ArtVan. At an artist talk to end the show they asked me to speak about my stonework. Walking across town to the event I worked out exactly what I wanted to say and arrived confident I’d be showcasing my work in the best possible light. 

I sat in the audience and listened to the first speakers, all professional artists, talk about their work and I started to feel out of place. My confidence waned. I’m a stoneworker; who am I to share a stage with “real” artists? My turn came. In the short walk to the stage I forgot everything I wanted to say. Terrifying, but a blessing. Instead of puffing myself up I was able to be more vulnerable. It got me thinking more deeply about my work. I think that was more engaging for the audience.

I talked briefly about the work I’ve done, but mostly I talked about the kind of work I want to do next. Projects like Thea’s labyrinth. Projects that cross the threshold from stone work to stone art. 

A college student in the audience asked me how I was going to do that.

I gave an honest answer. I don’t know. Yet.

_______________

Read more about my experience helping Thea build a labyrinth here. And here.

To see other creative projects I’ve worked on, go here.

To learn more about Thea Alvin, her labyrinth, and other work, go here.

To learn more about ArtVan and the work they do with kids in Maine, go here.

_______________

The Labyrinth