Tag: christian community church

New Beginnings

Hello Friends and Iconographers:

Celebrating the end of a long cold winter by starting new Icons! I’m hoping to get started on my Saint Brigit, one of the most remarkable Irish Saints of the fifth Century,  by the first of May.  Brigit saw God in nature and was said to have believed the dew, particularly in the month of May,photo was holy and cleansing.

I’ve finished a Christ”Not Made with Human Hands” Icon that will be in an exhibition of my landscapes at the Chatham Bookstore, opening May 8.

_MG_2146 (1)We’re hoping the eight large – 4’x3′ Icons for Saint Vincent dePaul’s Church in Albany will be installed on Pentecost, May 24 this year.  I will send out an invite when it is finalized.

 

FEATURED ICONOGRAPHER  

Each month in this blog, I hope to feature an Iconographer and his/her work, so that we can become familiar with the depth and breadth of Iconography as it is being practiced today. This month’s featured iconographer is Peter Pearson, the author of “A Brush With God: An Icon Workbook”.  I always love seeing his recent Icons- truly  beautiful expressions of his life in prayer and community.

 

vladimir doc 3From Peter:      “For the last 45 years, Byzantine icons have been a passion and driving force in my life. I love looking at them, studying them, praying with them, and painting them. Even now, after all this time, I’m pretty sure I’ve only scratched the surface. Rather than seeing icons as some lost and tragically frozen art form, I see them as a dynamically evolving part of the Christian witness through the ages. They have been a part of my contemplative practice, especially in the painting. That’s the place where I dissolve and there is only the brush stroke and the prayer. Through the icons I paint, the books I have written, and the classes I teach, I get to share this amazing adventure with others and I love it.joseph finished
As an iconographer who uses contemporary materials (acrylic paints), I am often challenged to defend my practice and that’s a bit exhausting. The witness of the centuries testifies to the fact that in every age, iconographers have used many different media to created these holy images. For me, as well as for many others, the point is prayer and not what the paint is made of. Like one of my teachers, Phil Zimmerman always says: “You can make a religion out of anything, including eggs.” I prefer not to and it’s working for me.” 

4 revised (2)For information on his workshops and full bio visit Peter ‘s website : peterpearsonicons.com.

Just a passing news note: My FB friend Dylan Hartley posted that he and Aidan Hart are in Rome visiting the Pope in honor of an Icon Aidan did for him.  Praise God!  I’m so excited for them!

And lastly, I’m offering a weekend Introduction to Icon Writing retreat :

INTRODUCTION TO ICON WRITING June 12-14
Dates: June 12-14 Christian Community, 10 Green River Lane, Hillsdale, NY 12529
We will be writing the Saint Michael Icon in the Russian/Byzantine tradition with egg tempera and gold leaf gilding. We will be painting Archangel Michael.   Weekend Retreat: Starting Friday night 6-9PM, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 1-5PM Mid morning and mid afternoon break, lunch provided, It will be fast paced, with demonstrations and individual teaching instruction. Cost : $215.00 Includes meals and materials. To register email: Christine@newchristianicons.com, or chales@halesart.com.

“Those who have cleansed the eye of their soul and are capable of seeing beautiful things make the visible become a springboard for the contemplation of the spiritual”  Gregory of Nyssa

Blessings and love,

Christine

www.newchristianicons.com

www.christinehales.com

www.kingdomartsministry.com

 

January New Beginnings

Dear Fellow Iconographers:

Even through the freezing temperatures and snow storms, Icons are still being made in New York!  I’m about half way through the series of large Icons for Saint Vincent’s Catholic Church in Albany.  There are eight panels, 4’x3′ in egg tempera with gold leaf gilding, _MG_9706__ (2) _MG_9698__ (2) photoof Holy people- some of them like Dorothy Day, Elizabeth Ann Seton, Louise De Marillac, Pope John XXIII, and Kateri, have not often been portrayed  through Iconography. It’s exciting!  And exactly what I’m interested in -creating Icons for contemporary (within the last 150 years) Holy people who perhaps have not had Icons created of them yet.  Here are a few work-in progress photos: Saints Louise de Marillac, Rose of Lima and St. Francis drawing, and Pope John XXIII.

CURRENT AND UPCOMING  ICON WRITING CLASSES

Albany: Ongoing Advanced Iconography Workshop, meets weekly, Monday evenings 6- 9pm, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Albany, NY

Hillsdale:  Christian Community Church, Hillsdale, NY, Beginning Icon Writing Class, Thursday evenings 6-9pm

New York City: Saint James Episcopal Church, NYC, Introduction to Icon Writing Retreat, Fri-Sun, February 20-22.  

photo 3

Troy, New York, Arts Center of the Capital Region, Introduction to Icon Writing Wednesdays 2-5PM, Feb. 25-March 25

The Museum of Russian of Icons is having an exhibition of Ethiopian Icons from January 23 through April 18.  We hope to have a field trip sometime in March.

EthiopiaX14-smallRecommended book of this month: Danny Silk: Culture of Honor-Sustaining a Supernatural Environment.

Until next month, Blessings and prayers,

Christine

Christine Simoneau Hales

Icons

Paintings

Merry Christmas!

christinglory Hello Friends and Fellow Iconographers:

Beginning this month, the new Blog look is starting!  The goal is to have this blog be an information source for artists and Iconographers internationally.  I am collecting Iconographers’ website links and blogs so if you’re reading this and would like to be included or have links that you think would benefit the larger community of Iconographers, please email me with them: christine@newchristianicons.com, so they can be included.

My Icon Retreat news for this month is the Icon Retreat I’m teaching at Saint James Church on Madison Ave, New York, NY will be held Fri-Sunday February 20-22. There are still some spaces but you should book early. We will be writing the Icon of Saint Raphael the Archangel of healing, and guide for those on journeys of all kinds.raphaelunframedweb

Also, have updated my Icon website: www.newchristianicons.com– let me know how you like it!

A new Beginning Icon Writing class is starting in Hillsdale, NY at the Christian Community Church, Thursday evenings 6-9PM starting January 15. Email to register.

Just returned from seeing two pretty wonderful museums in NYC and want to share what’s on there-in case you can get there this season, or view online.

First, at MOBIAtimthumb.php, the Durer, Rembrandt, Tiepolo and Blake, exhibition of Master Prints is incredibly satisfying as an exhibition with both scope and depth.

Particularly interesting is the combination of Scripture – the written Word and the visual images. The exhibition continues through January 11, 2015 and admission is free.  A second exhibition at MOBIA is “A Bible for our Nation”timthumb-1.php– also interesting, particularly the Mohawk and Seneca translations.

The second exhibition of great interest is at the Morgan Library, 225 Madison Ave. at 36th street, “The Crusader Bible: a Gothic Masterpiece”. One of the great illuminated manuscripts in the world, believed to have been made in Paris, 1250, it has beautifully colored egg tempera illustrations of biblical scenes by seven anonymous artists.   Open until January 5, this exhibition is delightful and a rare opportunity to view this manuscript.Crusader

There’s also an exhibition of Cy Twomby’s Treatise on the Veil. I love Twombly’s work, but in the context of these more structured and time intensive arts, the Treatise  pales by comparison.