Labyrinth Painting: Greed, Guilt, Growth

Finally, the art returns...
I have nearly settled into my new home and here's my first painted piece

Greed, Guilt, Growth
Copyright Cora Drew 2010
12x36 Studio; Made w/ Acrylic, Texture, Reflection

The inspiration for this painting is a labyrinth, which is partially represented with the white lines. It is not a maze but a journey to center and out again. For me, physically walking a labyrinth clears my head, brings my awareness to the present moment, and helps me feel more rooted in my body. There's one about 11 miles from my house at the Presbyterian Hospital (a Chartres style) that I can walk anytime I like.

The labyrinth style represented here is a Native American design called Man in the Maze as well as a Spider Labyrinth. I included the raven because of its totem qualities and the presence it has in my own life. The Raven is the keeper of those secrets and therefore is the keeper of this particular labyrinth painting.

The labyrinth can be seen as a journey inward to find your own inner secrets and mysteries. It's a place you can visit alone or with another. Walking a physical labyrinth brings so much awareness to many things. I had the opportunity to walk the Chartres labyrinth in France, (which checked off a thing I had to do before I died) and it was a wonderful experience!

I like the dark quality of the painting as well as its title bodes. Greed, Guilt, Growth represents those things that come to our awareness when we walk a labyrinth. We think of our needs, wants, desires and how we can go about getting them. In conjunction with these thoughts, we may feel guilt for wanting these things or for having done something to another to obtain them. Even the texture of the painting is symbolic of the rough terrain that we trek on our journey. Growth comes when we first realize our own greed and then choose to change our process, to become more Giving (which is the final but unspoken word that must be discovered).

Overall, this is a power painting. As a reminder and for reflection.

~ Cora Drew

This painting is also listed For Sale on Etsy. Click HERE to see it there.