The following text is found in the doorway of the piece:

The goal of the assignment was to create a piece of artwork that fit into the theme of protection / shelter.  This piece addresses those themes literally and metaphorically.  The overall shape of the installation is the basic shape of a house.  Each piece of the house represents spiritual protection from a variety of religions and faiths around the world and throughout time.

The purpose of Divinely Protected is to demonstrate that regardless of religion, faith, culture or period of time, humans have sought the protection of the divine during times of need.  The symbols, colors and even the words of prayer and scripture are beautiful and moving, works of art in and of themselves.   

The circular centerpiece of Divinely Protected is a very diminutive version of something that I created in real life some years ago.  The original version was a landscaped ritual circle that was 69’ in diameter.  Each quadrant was filled with plants of the appropriate color for the element it represented.  In the outer quadrants there were also specific elemental representations such as a fire pit in the fire quadrant and a pond in the water quadrant.  The circle had five removable altars and was open for public and private use.   It was a sanctuary the provided spiritual protection and shelter during times of need.

The scaled version has diameter of 18” overall with the center rings being 12” and 6” respectively.  The dimensions were specifically chosen because of their relationship to the number 3.  The number 3 is significant to many cultures in the form of a trinity of sacred beings among other things.  The diameters are all divisible by 3 and when added together equal a number divisible by 3 (12” = 1 + 2 = 3).  The three circles are customary to Druidic rituals.   There are cross pieces that run north-south and east-west connecting the outer ring with the center ring.   The cross pieces and the outer circle forms a Native North American medicine wheel.  The center ring contains a pentagram which, unlike common perceptions, is a protective symbol for many ancient and modern pagan religions.  

The centerpiece contains a variety of semi-precious gemstones each of which is said to possess protective powers.   On the outer edge are tumbled pieces of carnelian.   The colors inside the rings correspond with the elements:  green = earth; blue = water; yellow = air; and red = fire.   These colors correspond with common neo-pagan beliefs.    The gemstones in the inner quadrants are:  Air = citrine, tiger’s eye, honey jade, coral; Fire = carnelian, red jasper;  Water = sodalite, turquoise, aquamarine, lapis lazuli; Earth = peridot, malachite, chrysoprase.   The outer quadrants are filled with quartz under which are plants of the appropriate color (except for water).  At the cross points of the outer circle are clay medallions depicting the western alchemical symbols for the elements.

On the perimeter of the installation are panels containing protection prayers and spells from a variety of religions and time periods.  If I had more time and space there would be many, many more panels to encompass as many faiths as possible.  At the bottom of each segment of prayer panels is a clay medallion containing a protective symbol.  They are (in no particular order):  the Eye of Horus; the 57th shou of the Tai Hsuan Ching; the geomantic symbol Fortuna Major; the runic symbol Algiz; the Ogham symbol Luis.  Finally, hanging from the clay medallions are more gemstones that are said to have protective powers. 

Lastly, the roof contains a wire rose.  The rose is a multifaceted protective symbol.  It can be utilized for protection in many ways: as the entire plant, a single flower, and even the oils produced by the flower.  The wire rose is black with white iridescent accents represent duality, good and evil.  The rose is also my symbol.  It is placed at the apex of the roof not for ego but because I was once a religious studies major and this project represents my continuing love of the study of religion in all its forms.