Labyrinth Forum Tonight, April 28th, 7pm, WCUC

Just a reminder that Debi and Marty Kermeen will be hosting a presentation and discussion on labyrinths, and the WCUC labyrinth, at West Concord Union Church in Concord, MA, April 28th at 7pm.  Free and open to the public.

Please come!

Bricks

A Sneak Peak

While it rains, and the labyrinth is covered with tarps to prevent sand from washing into the brickwork, I wanted to show you two new elements of the design.

First, Marty has finished the stunning center clover-leaf design, but has been keeping it under a tarp to minimize brick dust from settling into the brickwork.  Why?  A lot of work remains on the overall design, and only after every brick has been cut and fitted will he finalize the labyrinth by filling all the tiny gaps and joints with sand to stabilize it.  Meantime, here is the cloverleaf, briefly unveiled.

The second element is the complex turns that define the circuits.  At the end of each “path,” a 180 degree turn has to be inserted.  This might seem simple if the paths were in straight lines, as they are in some geometric labyrinths, but in our labyrinth the turns have to fit into curved paths, adding complexity to the geometry of the cuts Marty makes.  Here is one curve laid out against a template, with bricks labeled to indicate their places.

When you see Marty, thank him for his fine work.  He’s earned this rain delay!

Miracles Along the Path: Labyrinth Forum on April 28, 2012

On April 28th at 7pm, West Concord Union Church will be hosting a forum on our Welcome Garden labyrinth with Debi and Marty Kermeen, the founding members of The International Labyrinth Society and builders of our labyrinth.  This event is free and open to the public.

Please join us to learn more about the history, meaning, and purpose of a labyrinth in our community.

Marty Kermeen carefully tapes his fingers each morning to protect them from the continual abrasion and strain of lifting heavy bricks.

Artistry in Stone

During the last week, good weather has allowed Marty Kermeen to made rapid progress building the WCUC Welcome Garden labyrinth.  The transformation of the cement circle has been breathtaking.

After setting the foundation (see post below), Marty put down a layer of sand, smoothed it, and began laying initial rings of brick around the center to establish the shape and orientation of the future labyrinth.

The first rings of the labyrinth guide the future design.

Marty Kermeen

The first rings were beautiful, but I wondered why they didn’t, well, look like a labyrinth.  As Marty explained, you can’t begin with the labyrinth pattern; one error can multiply across the labyrinth and distort its shape.  Instead, the design is built into the underlying concentric rings after they have been established.  Very simply, “the rings help me know where I am.”

 

Marty is an amazing person, with a deep commitment to his work and the people it touches.  In projects across the country, at churches, parks, hospitals, Marty has seen many people transformed by the simple power of walking a labyrinth.

The rings rapidly expanded until, about 18 inches from the concrete ring, Marty began building the first major details of the final design:  the lunations.

Each lunation reveals Marty’s subtle, painstaking craftsmanship.  Visible in the picture above are the freshly-cut curves that form the lunation’s arch.  Marty makes each cut at his saw, carefully fitting every brick to it’s particular angle and spacing.  The result is stunningly elegant.  (There is a pile of brick cuttings, and Marty invites us to take a keepsake of the project.)

The second element of the final design is the entrance path cut through the rings to the center.  The eventual circuits will develop from this path.

In the picture above the guide line traverses the exact center of the labyrinth, up the entrance path; to its left is the exit path.  The overall pattern set,  the circuits will soon emerge!  Below is the state of the labyrinth on the morning of April 15.

Labyrinth Construction Begins!

During the first week of April, 2012, Marty Kermeen arrived to begin construction of our labyrinth.  Last fall the ground was cleared and the labyrinth area was marked out and surrounded with a concrete ring.  Marty’s first task was to lay a foundation for the labyrinth.  The ring was approximately 15 inches high, and Marty laid the foundation for the labyrinth in three stages, about 4 inches at a time, compacting the base material between each layer.  As Marty told me, “if you put it down in layers, and really compact it well, it sets up like concrete.”

After the base layers are laid, compacted, and leveled, a layer of fine sand is laid, leveled, and smoothed before the first bricks are placed.

Marty Kermeen compacting base material. Pallets of paving brick surround the labyrinth ring.

Compacting the final layer of base material before laying a sand layer for the labyrinth stones.

Digging Begins!

On Friday, October 7th, digging began on the Welcome Garden. Thanks to Hannah Brown for these pictures.

This shovel really broke ground!

Five dump trucks of material were removed

Spreading gravel in the excavated labyrinth site

Ready to Dig

The labyrinth builders have marked the outlines of the play area and labyrinth. Digging will begin on Friday or Saturday (October 7 or 8).  These outlines make it easier to imagine the real dimensions of the labyrinth.

The future play area

Outline of the labyrinth

View from beside the labyrinth looking toward play area and entry path