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Planned Classes for 2010:

2/7/10 - Icon Writing in the Russian Style

11/7/10 - Icon Writing in the Russian Style

Early Christian Iconography - The Prosopon School of Iconography as described by Vladislav Andreyev: Christ said, "My Kingdom is not of this world." Icons are the windows from our physical world into that Kingdom, which is invisible to physical eyes. The images of the holy persons we see on icons are not portraits of those people from the time when they lived on earth. Rather, they are the images of those people as they now and forever exist on the other side of the window which is the icon. The saint depicted on an icon is standing within that invisible Heavenly Kingdom and is made visible through the icon to us who are still on this side. The human form with which the icon presents the beholder is an image of holiness, spiritual strength, and restored beauty. It is an example of the state which the believer must attain to be able to meet God face to face. The Prosopon School of Iconography was founded by iconographer Vladislav Andrejev, who was born in 1938 in St. Petersburg, Russia. After receiving a formal education in fine art, Mr. Andrejev became interested in religious art, which was impossible to express openly during those times of the Soviet regime. The search for deeper meaning in art and life led him to solitary travels in parts of the Russian wilderness, and to independent study of icon and fresco painting with a monk icon-writer.

Traditional Iconography with Contemporary Mediums - What is an icon? Peter Pearson tells his students at the beginning of the workshop, remember that an icon is not created by the force of the will, rather seek to become an instrument through which God can create something wonderful. For this to happen you may have to struggle to suspend the constant judgments that adults tend to fill their days with. Let go of the need to create the best icon the world has ever seen and the fear of creating something ghastly. Keep in mind that an icon is a prayer and only God can judge the quality of a prayer. Therefore be gentle with yourself and that which you are about to create.