NEWS AT LABYRINTH ENTERPRISES, LLC
We haven't had a newsletter for a while. Here are the previous editions: Labyrinth Circles.
YEAR 2009
Delmar Baptist Church labyrinth completed
Last December we rushed to complete a labyrinth in the face of advancing cold weather because the donor was in ill health. We got the basic labyrinth completed enough to have a dedication ceremony. One week later the donor passed away. We covered it up until good weather returned in April. It took three more days for our process of detailing and sealing.
The material is our granite resin, which is a very beautiful and impressive material. Most of our installations are now with this material. For more information see:
Delmar. . . Photos of the installation.
Gallery Section:. . . This contains photos and descriptions of our work, which includes other examples of granite resin.
Granite resin:. . . A brief discussion of the material.
Local labyrinth refurbished
We have adopted the labyrinth we installed at Centenary United Methodist Church in downtown St. louis. We cleaned and re-sealed it this spring. Plus, they put a fence around it, keeping people from cutting through the space or hanging out there waiting for the soup kitchen to open. This led to a very incongruous sign, shown below.
For the whole story, see Centenary.
Judy Hopen promoted to partner
Having worked for Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, since almost the very beginning, Judy is definitely the spirit and social face of the company. She operates our 8,000 sq. ft. studio, where she has developed an astounding (and umatched)ability ingenious ways to make hand-drawn and hand-painted portable labyrinths -- a bit of an anacronism in an age of high technology. Indeed, our main competitor, who has a very visible presence on the internet, prints his labyrinths on a computerized plotter. Not Judy. When she crawls on her hands and knees, the tops of her feet drag on the canvas resulting in an unusual occupational hazard: calouses on the tops of her feet!
Since January 1st, Judy has become a part owner in the company, a financial reward that she justly deserves for her years of faithful and creative service. More on Judy.
Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, is alive and well, thank you.
I previously put in my bio (Robert) that I was retiring on my 66th birthday, July 21, 2010. This has led people to write and express concern that they might not be able to get a labyrnth after that date. Not so. Subsequently, I have removed that statement. I am already in the process of retiring from administrative responsibilities. But I never plan to retire from making labyrinths. Just the opposite. If I'm not stuck in the office, I can be out on a labyrinth somewhere, which is my first choice.
The situation was further complicated when I let it be known that Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, is for sale, in part or whole. This is indeed a possibility, but if that happens, I will STILL be involved and all services will STILL be offered. After all, Judy is not retiring. Our skilled crews are not retiring. So there is no scenario in which Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, is not available to meet all of your labyrinth needs. Just the opposite. There is a developing possbility that Labyrinth Enterprises, LLC, will expand, taking in new partners and expanding our services to include facilitation and events, as well as getting some professional help in marketing and administration. I have always kept things low key, but the potential is enormous. Seeing that potential realized would be a wonderful reward to me for my almost 15 years of effort.
Teaching Schedule
I frequently get emails asking about my intensive facilitator training or my labyrinth making master classes. The fact is, I don't organize these myself. I wait for someone to sponsor me. Once or twice a year I am presenting a labyrinth making seminar for Veriditas, at grace cathedral, i San Francisco. It is the day after their facilitator training. I think every facilitator should know how to easily and quickly make a labyrinth.
If you would like to attend such a training, consider sponsoring me in your area. you have a good chance of having the training and also making a profit. Contact me (Robert) for details.