I did not know that I was born with an non compacted heart muscle until eighteen months ago. I had been painting heart shaped labyrinths and rainbow labyrinths for over six years. I painted a 10’ x 8’ rainbow labyrinth six months before I was diagnosed. I like to think that my heart was trying to get my attention and telling me in dreams and paintings that the layers of both the earth and the human being are labyrinthine colours of the rainbow and that I have a right to be here and valuable contributions to make to the world. I fell in love with my heart when I saw her dancing. It does not matter to me that she dances differently to so called “normal” hearts. When I am painting, I am dancing heart to heart with the earth, filling myself with hope.
Rainbow Surround Us, Rainbow Within
violet spirit mysterious wise
atoms galaxies human divine
indigo night vision seeing
noticing exploring envisioning dreaming
blue sky ocean
voice nose ears
whisper thunder story
listening remembering tears
emerald forest breath touch
healing feeling desire love
yellow rock muscle bone
will power passion strong
amber magma blood fire
erupting birthing creating wild
ruby core essence art
dancing rhythm courage heart
Earth rainbow labyrinth deep
silence solitude stillness peace
by
Bríd Wyldearth 2014
This last month has been a lesson in valuing myself, my art work and my friends. I asked someone to make me an offer for one of my rainbow labyrinths. When I asked this, I honestly did not have a clue what I thought it was worth but when I came to hand it over, I could not make myself give it away for less than I knew it was worth suddenly, and, since I had intended to give the money away, I knew it was not out of greed that I wanted more than the person offered. I did however feel ashamed of myself for accepting the low offer, both because it felt like by accepting it, I was devaluing both my art and the cause I wanted to support by selling it.
Concurrently, I was preparing to enter the above rainbow labyrinth into the 2014 Disability Arts Cymru Exhibition:
http://www.zequs.com/campaign/disability-arts-cymru-exhibition#.VGzEYFesWYGhttp://www.disabilityartscymru.co.uk/visual-arts/dac-annual-exhibition-2014/
and I knew how much it was worth and that I owed it to the painting to get it professionally framed.
I painted this labyrinth before I started to fill in my PIP form. It is a prayer to help me do it easily without getting too exhausted and depressed, to be successful in my application, hopefully without having to endure the anxiety and indignity of an examination or interview and a prayer to the government and the world to change the way in which those who need help can get it without shame and humiliation and being accused of causing national and global debt. Would not true personal independence come from a system and bureaucracy guided and lead and run by disabled people for disabled people? I like the idea that this picture will be on public display while my PIP form is being processed.
and I knew how much it was worth and that I owed it to the painting to get it professionally framed.
I painted this labyrinth before I started to fill in my PIP form. It is a prayer to help me do it easily without getting too exhausted and depressed, to be successful in my application, hopefully without having to endure the anxiety and indignity of an examination or interview and a prayer to the government and the world to change the way in which those who need help can get it without shame and humiliation and being accused of causing national and global debt. Would not true personal independence come from a system and bureaucracy guided and lead and run by disabled people for disabled people? I like the idea that this picture will be on public display while my PIP form is being processed.
