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Judy Hopen 1961 ~ 2012

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

This past weekend,
the world lost a bright and shining star...
my dear friend and labyrinth colleague
Judy Hopen has passed on...

She was an amazing lady,
an extraordinary artist,
performer, and master labyrinth maker...

- photo courtsey of Robert Feré

Judy made over 900 canvas labyrinths,
of which 131 of those were Santa Rosa Labyrinths,
and she assisted in and supervised
over 300 permanent labyrinth installations
in every material imaginable
throughout the world.

Judy touched everyone she met with wonder and joy. Tall, with long brunette hair, a flashing smile that would melt your heart, she turned heads everywhere she went. Sometimes it was because of her clothes, for she loved to dress up, especially in red and and anything with feathers or glitter. I remember shopping with her in Paris and watching her find the perfect sparkle stockings to go with her stiletto pumps... and you would not have believed her cat-eye contacts...

I walked labyrinths with Judy all over the United States and in France. Her laugh will always be with me, her kind heart, and the child-like play that was so easy to tap into with her will always make me smile.

These pictures were taken from the red-sparkle altar that I made for Judy in the heart-space of my Santa Rosa Labyrinth. I joined with others from our world-wide labyrinth community today in walking a labyrinth in a hat, mine was Vintage- which Judy would have loved.

Perhaps when you read this, you too might go and find your favorite hat, or a silly hat, or any hat and find a labyrinth near you (worldwide labyrinth locator) and have a walk where you allow yourself to play a little, laugh a little, and remember a gentle soul who touched many throughout her life's path with grace and with beauty...

Judy's e-mail sign off was...

*****

"Happy Journeys,

......JUDY

Judith M. HOPEN,
"Labyrintiste Extraordinaire"

Don't be the missing link!
You could be the piece that changes/saves someone's life!
Make something happen, inspire someone!
We are all connected---
...by...
6 degrees"

*****

I love you Judy Hopen...

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