Laurie Marshall

"Wings of Compassion-From Angels to Egrets"

The theme of the exhibition is the journey toward compassion through creativity, where the Power of Love is manifested in the physical world and Divinity is recognized in the ordinary. In this exhibition, the realist painters use two central metaphors, birds and the human form, as embodiments of healing and transformation. Birds and humans are seen as messengers of heaven on earth, serving as a reminder of the Sacred in nature.

Egrets, Red Crown Cranes (Birds of Heaven), Herons (Bearers of Intuition) and Owls (Bringer of Wisdom) are explored as metaphors for freedom, possibility and fragility. A traditional symbol of the Sacred among human beings is the Angel, who shares the wings of the bird. Wings are used as symbols of the longing to rise beyond the earthbound limitations of the body, and share in the Breath of Creation where inspiration begins.

Angels in the show come in many forms. Among them are twenty 5th graders from the Helen S. Faison Arts Academy in Homewood, painted by Marshall. Marshall also includes large scale acrylics on doors, an ordinary object used as a metaphor for opening oneself to the abundant possibilities of self reflection while embracing a connection to Nature's Bounty and the wholeness of community. In painting her inner city students as angels, Marshall's intention is to make a protective image that supports the achievement of their dreams. The wings stand for helping children to become aware of Nature's healing forces, their ancestor's wisdom and the mysterious psychological and spiritual potential which the angels represent. Forty-five children received Marshall's original oil paintings for their graduation from the Arts Academy in June of 2006. Prints of the portraits will be on display at Boxheart. A book of the portraits and the students' writings will also be at the exhibition.