In addition to creating beautiful permanent labyrinth works of art, Marty and Debi Kermeen are also available for consulting, custom slide show presentations, workshops and temporary indoor or outdoor labyrinth and garden installations for symposiums and conferences. They are pictured above in the center of The Reflection Labyrinth©, one of their original labyrinth designs.

In collaboration with the Quad-City Labyrinth Project of Davenport, IA, Labyrinths in Stone created a temporary labyrinth and indoor garden for the 2006 National Trails Symposium. They were assisted by many NTS volunteers. The project received rave reviews from the symposium participants.

Below is a pictorial guide of how the project came together, accompanied by some information written by Pat McLaughlin, Executive Director, Quad-City Labyrinth Project.

18th Annual National Trails Symposium

October 19-22, 2006

At this year’s symposium, the QCLP hosted a booth, labyrinth installation, and mobile workshop, inviting the public to explore the labyrinth as a trail of self-discovery. Sponsored by American Trails, the symposium is an educational conference for greenways and trails advocates, managers, planners, and users, outdoor product providers, as well as conservationists, private landowners, and tourism and business interests.

Marty and Debi Kermeen are known world-wide for their labyrinth art. Marty is the acknowledged master in hardscape labyrinth design and installation. The 40-foot, 5-circuit pattern was designed by Jeff Saward, internationally renowned labyrinth scholar, creator, and curator of Labyrinthos: The Labyrinth Resource Centre and Photo Library and Archive.

Three large boulders, several tons of pavers, 50 cubic yards yards of mulch, 60 yards of sod, several large trees, and a variety of plants and grasses were used to create the walkway and path boundary planters. The installation was finished and trimmed creating a backyard or park-like atmosphere for the exhibit.

City park managers, representatives of various National Parks and other outdoor recreational areas rubbed elbows with bicyclists, hikers, and conservationists to attend the three-day training symposium.

The Quad City Labyrinth Project was honored to be included, and many attendees expressed both interest and delight in walking the labyrinth. Many learned the benefits of labyrinths as trails of self-discovery that provide aesthetic, healthful, and contemplative experiences.

With guidance from Debi and Marty, volunteers from Americorps and the QCLP built the 50-foot labyrinth in eight hours on Wednesday.

“The labyrinth made the exhibit hall even better than we could have imagined,” said Candace Mitchell, one of the organizers of the event. “It transformed that corner into a park-like setting, and represented a creative use of trails that many participants mentioned in their evaluations. Participants were surprised by how much trail could fit into such a small space.”

Mitchell said that the Quad-City Labyrinth Project helped American Trails members discover new ways to develop, promote, and sell the importance of trails in communities across the nation. “The QCLP reflected our objectives for the symposium,” she said, “and the labyrinth truly represented this year’s slogan, ‘Trails for America: Every Where, Every Way, Every Day.’ ”

The QCLP are grateful to American Trails for inviting us and Labyrinths in Stone to introduce yet another new audience to the benefits of using labyrinths as paths of self-discovery.  We continue to work diligently to fulfill our mission and to promote peace and improve the quality of life in our community — one person, one step at a time — in innovative and creative ways. Thank you for your support!