Laurie
Marshall
"Wings
of Compassion-From Angels to Egrets"
Paintings and other works by Laurie Marshall and Margaret
Baco
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; an Iraqi
man who has just lost his family and a Native American
man who is witnessing the end of his civilization,
painted by Baco; and reflections of the people who
walk into the gallery. Both artists include 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. Baco's
piece, called "Out of the AshesÓ, captures the healing
process of art that both artists are committed to:
A faith that creativity allows beauty to grow out
of and transform the raw experience of pain and vulnerability
that comes with being human. 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.
Baco works as a Registered Nurse at Allegheny General
Hospital and Marshall worked as an art teacher and
artist-in-residence at the Arts Academy from 2004-2006.
They met through their teenage skateboarding sons
six years ago. Since then, they have worked collaboratively
in community art projects throughout Pittsburgh, including
a Sproutfund mural in McKees Rocks, the Door Project
at Construction Junction and the Singing Tree Project
with suburban and inner city young people.
|
