The Wedding Feast at Cana

Well, hello! It's been a while. It feels like it's time to return to blogging icons and I wrote a delightful icon in 2021 to begin this return... The Wedding Feast at Cana based on the story in John 2:1-11. This was a commission for a couple who were married during the earlier months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and presented at the one-year anniversary party hosted by their family last summer. 

This icon is based on a Coptic icon-- so you might notice some differences from the start, particularly in the way the figures are stylized. All icons are stylized-- but the larger heads and eyes-- especially of Jesus-- are a familiar characteristic of Coptic iconography. The larger heads and eyes are meant to represent spiritual strength and connection with God through prayer.

I bent tradition a bit in that I used the techniques of Byzantine iconography to write this icon, so the colors are "warmer" than in the original.  

My favorite aspect of this icon is the way Jesus and his Mother seem to be embracing the couple.  

I have a number of commissions to share, which I have not yet posted, and some commissions coming up this summer as well.

Thank you for checking in!

Paige+

Ruble's Trinity

Spring, 2015

The week of April 27-May 1, advanced iconography students at St. Peter's Del Mar will write an icon of Rublev's Trinity.

There is much written about this icon, and rather than repeat it, I will simply share this meditation by Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE, If the link above doesn't work, simply paste the following into your browser window:    http://ssje.org/ssje/2013/01/29/andrei-rublev-br-curtis-almquist/

Stay tuned for pictures from our class as the week rolls on!

Fun since last Spring...

Since last Spring's icon workshops I've had the opportunity to write a number of commissions. Life and work got the best of me, and I didn't have a chance to share these until now...

Day 4: Surprise Early Finish!

Today St. Peter's Iconographers finished their icons!  We'd planned for a 5 day workshop, but they worked hard all week, and wrapped up today, in 4... Getting a good picture of all of them together was a challenge, but we'll try again on Sunday when the varnish is dry.  Well done, all!

Christ Pantocrator: Day 3, Faces!

Today our iconographers laid in the faces of their icons, beginning with "Second Flesh" and adding lighter and lighter paint, gathering the light in the center of the face and nearest they eyes... Eventually the eye details and beard are added. And suddenly there is Jesus, staring back at us!

Christ Pantocrator: Day 2

Today we began highlighting the hair, drapery and detailed the halo...

The first highlight of the hair is a simple Burnt Siennna...

Raw Sienna is added in greater and greater amounts, with the light drawing closer and closer to the face...

The Drapery continues the pattern of the lightest light being nearest the face...

And the fun details on the halo are a playful way to end the day...

Christ Pantocrator: Day 1

Today 12 iconographers at St. Peter's laid in the darkest, shadow colors of their icons.