Christine Hales – American Association of Iconographers

Guarding the Archetype

Reflections on Constantine Cavarnos’ Guide to Byzantine Iconography

This month I would like to share several reflections drawn from Constantine Cavarnos’ important work, Guide to Byzantine Iconography. For those of us laboring in our studios today, the questions he raises remain foundational:

How do we create new icons for contemporary Christians while faithfully preserving the original intentions of the earliest sacred images?

The Formation of Hieratic Types

In the early centuries of Christian art, the Church Fathers recognized the necessity of establishing hieratic types—sacred prototypes that would serve as authoritative visual theology. These were not merely artistic conventions. They formed a coherent, didactic, allegorical system intended to guide both iconographers and the faithful.

John the Baptist Icon by Christine Hales

Cavarnos writes:

“The purpose of depicting these consecrated types was to contribute to the edification of the faithful… Through them, the Church recommends to the faithful a hidden, spiritual teaching.”

The earliest biblical scenes—many preserved in the frescoes of the Roman catacombs (2nd–4th centuries)—already demonstrate this theological intentionality. The selection of subjects was not arbitrary. It was shaped by the symbolism of the Gospels and Apostolic writings, and guided by the Spirit within the life of the Church.

The Long Refinement of the Archetypes

St. John, the hut dweller and Paul of Thebes, Greek-Cretan Icon 15-17th centuries

Photios Kontoglou expresses this development with particular clarity:

“The archetypes of Byzantine Iconography are the result of centuries of spiritual life, Christian experience, genius, and work. The iconographers who developed them regarded their work as awesome, like the dogmas of the true Faith, and they worked with humility and piety, on types that had been handed down to them by earlier iconographers, avoiding all inopportune and inappropriate changes. Through long elaboration, these various representations were freed from everything superfluous and inconstant, and attained the greatest and most perfect expression and power.”

This passage is worth lingering over. The archetypes were not invented in a moment of individual inspiration. They were purified over centuries—stripped of the accidental, the sentimental, and the merely fashionable—until they achieved distilled spiritual clarity.

What remains is not stylistic rigidity, but theological precision.

Why We Copy Pre-Renaissance Icons

Most of us were trained with the guidance: copy icons from before the Renaissance. Cavarnos and Kontoglou help us understand why.

From the Renaissance onward, Western art increasingly emphasized naturalism, individual expression, and worldly concerns—even within Christian subject matter. The center of gravity shifted toward human emotion and physical realism.

By contrast, the Byzantine tradition preserved the ancient archetypes. Because it maintained continuity with the established types, it retained its spiritual luminosity and theological integrity. The icon remained what it was intended to be: not a window into psychological narrative, but a window into eternity.

To copy pre-Renaissance icons, then, is not antiquarianism. It is fidelity to a theological vision refined by centuries of ecclesial experience.

Christ Redeemer Icon written by Christine Hales 2026 — Christ Redeemer Icon, written by Christine Hales

Our Responsibility in the Studio

For those of us creating icons today, the task is both humble and demanding:

To revive the archetypes with reverence.
To avoid unnecessary innovation.
To allow the forms to shape us rather than imposing ourselves upon them.
To participate in a tradition that is larger than our individual artistic impulse.

If the early iconographers regarded their work as “awesome, like the dogmas of the true Faith,” then so must we.

May these reflections strengthen and give wings to your holy practice. May our work, grounded in the consecrated types, continue to edify the faithful and communicate the hidden, spiritual teaching entrusted to the Church.

Until next month,
Christine Hales
Artist / Iconographer

Interesting Links For Iconographers:

International juried exhibition of contemporary sacred art The Light of the Logos (Svetlost Logosa), which will take place 1–16 September 2026 at the Kolarac Endowment Gallery in Belgrade, Serbia. OPEN CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: https://kaleidoskop-media.com/svetlost-logosa/open-call-the-light-of-the-logos-2026. Short video from last year’s edition: https://youtu.be/pP7KpbV_6lU

From Dorothy Alexander, Santa Barbra CA, An Orthodox Liturgical Arts Retreat is being offered at Echo Park, CA (7.26 – 8/1/26). 1) Mosaic and Repoussé/Sgraffito and 2) Egg Tempera Iconography. Micah Andrews is a mosaic master and we are also blessed to have Dr. Victoria Brennan presenting and teaching. Contact Dorothy Alexander by email or text for more information, dotalexander@westmont.edu, or (805) 708-0453.

LINKS For Christine Simoneau Hales 2026

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983
American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

The Substance of Things Seen: Creating Contemporary Icons for the Christian Community

Inspired by Robin M. Jensen

Detail, Trinity Icon. written by Christine Hales. after Andre Rublev

Christian art has never existed merely to decorate sacred spaces or to please the eye. At its best, it has served the Church as a theological language—one that gives visible form to invisible truths and nurtures worship practices that are both spiritually vital and theologically rooted. In The Substance of Things Seen, Robin M. Jensen articulates with clarity the indispensable role of art in Christian theology, worship, and communal life. Her insights are particularly relevant today as artists and iconographers seek to create contemporary icons that speak faithfully within modern contexts while remaining rooted in tradition.

Art as a Theological Practice

Christian art, and iconography in particular, occupies a unique place within the life of faith. Icons do not simply illustrate doctrine; they participate in it. They promote an ongoing conversation between faith and art—one in which visual form, prayer, and theology are inseparably linked. As Jensen reminds us, art within the Christian tradition is not neutral. It shapes belief, informs devotion, and forms the imagination of the worshiping community.

Yet this formative power carries responsibility. “If we remember that imitations are secondary things,” Jensen writes, “meant to guide us or inspire us toward the truth but not to substitute for it, we may avoid confusing objects with values or beautiful things with beauty itself.” The icon, then, is not an end in itself. It is a means—an invitation toward encounter rather than a replacement for the divine reality it signifies.

Icon Writing as Spiritual Formation

Within this framework, contemporary icon writing can be understood not simply as an artistic discipline but as a process of spiritual formation. Icon writing classes, when properly grounded, are aimed at producing visible images that point far beyond themselves. Creation and formation unfold together. The artist is shaped even as the image takes form.

This understanding resonates deeply with the Christian conviction expressed in 2 Corinthians 3:18: “We see not the truth itself, but are being transformed as we behold.” The thing we see is not the truth itself, but a means of encounter with the truth. In icon writing, the slow, prayerful process—layer upon layer of pigment, prayer, and contemplation—mirrors the gradual transformation of the human heart.

Seeing, Meaning, and Community

Jensen also reminds us that the perceived meaning of any work of art depends upon the experience, social location, interests, needs, and predispositions of its audience. Icons are not viewed in a vacuum. They exist within communities, cultures, and lived realities. Contemporary iconography must therefore attend carefully to context—not by abandoning tradition, but by allowing tradition to speak into the present moment with discernment and humility.

My Saint James Icon being blessed by Bishop Carlos in Santiago Spain

The icon does not record a particular physical appearance so much as it gathers and focuses prayer. It helps the viewer sense the invisible presence of the one to whom prayer is addressed. In this sacred exchange, the viewer does not merely look at the image but is invited to look through it. The icon serves as a medium of prayer directed toward a reality beyond the painted surface.

Holy Places and Sacred Spaces

My Nativity Icon at Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, FL

This sacramental understanding of images naturally extends to architecture and sacred space. A holy place is traditionally understood as a meeting point between heaven and earth—a site where the divine presence has manifested, a gateway between the visible and the invisible. In this sense, all architecture functions iconically, and religious architecture does so in a particularly concentrated way.

Like painted icons, sacred spaces manifest ideas in nonverbal form, functioning symbolically at both the most mundane and the most profound levels. Depending on how it is viewed and used, a religious space may mediate or even “contain” holy presence in much the same way as a traditional icon painted on a wooden panel.

Toward a Faithful Contemporary Practice

Creating contemporary icons, then, is not about innovation for its own sake. It is about faithfulness—faithfulness to theological truth, to liturgical life, and to the formative power of sacred art within Christian community. Drawing on the wisdom articulated by Jensen, contemporary iconographers are invited to see their work not merely as aesthetic production, but as participation in the Church’s ongoing act of seeing, praying, and becoming.

In this way, the substance of things seen becomes a pathway toward the mystery of things unseen—and the icon remains what it has always been at its best: a window into divine presence, held in humility, reverence, and prayer.

Wishing you all a blessed and joyous New Year!

Christine Hales

https://newchristianicons.com

Interesting Links for Iconographers:

Religious symbolism- Explained by Britannica https://www.britannica.com/topic/religious-symbolism History and symbolism of Iconography

History and symbolism of Iconography – Monastery Icons

Introduction to Icons: Patristix

Sacred Spaces: Richard Vosko, God’s House is Our House, Reimagining the Environment for Worship, Liturgical Press; and also by Richard Vosko. Art and Architecture for Congregational Worship: The Search for a Common Ground.

El Greco

And the Enduring Influence of Byzantine Icon Training

Hello Fellow Iconographers:

As you probably already know, I love making connections between Byzantine iconography and modern art. I always think that icons were the contemporary art of their time, so how can we bring a contemporary approach to our icon writing? This article about the work of ElGreco shows how one iconographer of the 16th century made that transition. The approaches each iconographer takes to contemporary iconography will be as individual as the iconographers themselves, but some things will remain. Here is an account of how this issue played out in the life and work of ElGreco.

Doménikos Theotokópoulos—better known as El Greco—has long fascinated scholars of Early Modern art. While his mature works in Toledo are celebrated for their dramatic elongations, expressive color, and visionary intensity, less often explored in depth is the formative influence of his early training in the Byzantine icon tradition. This article examines how the discipline of icon-painting, rooted in the post-Byzantine Cretan School, left an enduring imprint on El Greco’s aesthetic, technique, and theological vision. His icon training, I argue, was not a youthful chapter to be overcome, but a structural foundation that underlay his later innovations.

From Crete to Venice

Although he was born in Crete in 1541, after receiving icon painting training in his early life, Domenikos left Crete in 1567 for Venice. Some key characteristics Domenikos learned from the icon painters were:

A hieratic vocabulary of elongated, stylized figures and flattened pictorial space intended for devotion.

The use of traditional materials and techniques—tempera, wooden panels, and gilding.

An emphasis on spiritual vision over empirical realism.

But in Venice he was encountering the artistic milieu of the Italian Renaissance and Mannerism, absorbing the vibrant color, dynamic composition and spatial experimentation of artists such as Tintoretto and Titian. This Western training did not supplant his icon-foundation but merged with it. One of his trademark features—elongated, upward-reaching figures, almost defying gravity—can be traced back to the hieratic verticality of icons, in which figures are often elevated beyond the earthly realm. In his mature altarpieces in Toledo, this physical stretching expresses a spiritual tension: the human yearning toward the Divine.

Rome, Toledo, and the Transformation of a Style

From Venice, El Greco moved to Rome (1570–1576), where he sought patronage but struggled to achieve success amid the competitive papal art world. In 1576, he relocated to Spain, where his career flourished under the patronage of the Church and the Spanish nobility. His first major commission came from the dean of Toledo Cathedral: three altarpieces for the Church of Santo Domingo el Antiguo, works that already reveal a synthesis of iconographic form, Mannerist stylization, and Venetian color.

Even as his technique evolved, the influence of icon-painting persisted. The vertical elongation of figures—one of El Greco’s most recognizable traits—can be traced to the hieratic verticality of Byzantine icons, where figures are elevated beyond the earthly realm. In El Greco’s mature altarpieces, this elongation expresses a spiritual tension, a reaching upward toward the Divine.

Similarly, his treatment of space often resists Renaissance perspectival illusion. Instead of a fully realistic spatial construction, El Greco employs stacked planes and compressed layers to evoke a metaphysical dimension. Scholars have linked this to his Byzantine roots, where sacred space functions symbolically rather than empirically.

Theological Continuities: Painting as a Spiritual Act

Beneath the stylistic parallels lies a deeper continuity: El Greco’s theological conception of painting. In the icon tradition, the painter’s task is to serve as a mediator of divine light, not merely an imitator of nature. This conception of sacred art as a spiritual discipline—requiring prayer, fasting, and inner illumination—found new expression in El Greco’s Spanish works.

His figures seem animated not by physical energy but by spiritual light, glowing from within. In this, El Greco remained faithful to the iconographer’s conviction that beauty reveals the presence of God.

Reception and Legacy

“El Greco is one of the few old master painters who enjoys widespread popularity,” writes Keith Christiansen of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rediscovered in the nineteenth century by collectors, critics, and artists, El Greco was hailed as both the quintessential Spaniard and a proto-modern painter of the spirit.

For members of the Blue Rider school, including Franz Marc, El Greco embodied a mystical resistance to materialism—a painter who, as Christiansen writes, “felt the mystical inner construction of life.”

Conclusion: The Icon as Foundation of Innovation

El Greco’s artistic evolution cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the foundational role of his icon-training on Crete. Far from being a mere apprenticeship, this discipline remained the structural ground of his mature art—shaping his understanding of color, form, space, and the sacred.

His work ultimately represents a synthesis of:

The spiritual economy of the icon,
The painterly brilliance of Venice and Rome, and
The religious fervor of Counter-Reformation Spain.

For students of sacred art and iconographers today, El Greco offers a powerful model: discipline does not restrict creativity—it frames and empowers it. His art demonstrates that fidelity to tradition can be the very source of visionary originality.

My Baptism of Jesus Icon at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Saint Petersburg

I hope you have enjoyed this article and that it is food for thought. The battle for art is not won or lost in an academic tradition, but in the spiritual realm where God is all powerful. God wants each of us to give glory to His name in each individual way that he has created us.

Here are some interesting links that are passed on from Dorothy Alexander, a friend and iconographer in California:

1.How Icons Are Made” is the fourth and final lecture by Aidan Hart presented at St. Julian’s Church in Shrewsbury, England. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Of2eq-NiDVE&t=82s. He speaks on both the theology as well as the practical details of making an icon.

2.You can see the beauty of natural pigments as you watch how vivianite is made from the mineral. This also helps to understand why it is not cheap to buy. The example at the end shows the versatility of the color

. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww2QRpSG4fA&t=40s&pp=2AEokAIB

3. This slow moving video is an example of Instacoll gilding, faulting (repairing or filling in any holes) and burnishing with a cloth. https://youtu.be/bK1gKiO2sSo?si=CaLsBN_NLJbjt85g

That’s all for this month!

God bless you all,

Christine

These are my links if you’d like to see more of what I do:

LINKS For Christine Simoneau Hales 2025

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983
American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

Creating an Icon

Hello Dear Friends and Fellow Iconographers:

As we move into fall, it’s always a good time to reflect on the summer time that is past and imagine what we hope to accomplish this winter season. I’ve been doing a lot of Icon writing teaching this past summer, which I have loved. But it does come at the expense of having creative time to create icons, so I am very happy to have some time ahead of me to create new icons and experiment with different colors and techniques. I hope to have some work to share with you by the end of the year!

One of the main ways I have of supporting students as they move from taking classes to working on their own is through Patreon. On this platform, for a nominal monthly fee, I offer a few different levels of membership that can help new iconographers to grow, ask questions, share concerns about their icon painting techniques and receive feedback. If you are interested, you can go to Patreon and look up Christine Hales Icons, or I will put a link for you at the end of this article.

All this to say, that one of my long time students has created an original and insightful icon, “The Temptation of Christ”, which I would like to share with you this month. Sue Valentine is a minister who wanted to have the icon speak to that moment of Christ’s temptation by the devil. Along the way, through many changes and transitions, the creating of the icon has provided a space for discussing and reflecting upon this moment in Christ’s ministry, and we worked together discerning how best to portray the meaning and message in iconographic form.

Sue has generously shared about her thoughts and process which I include here, along with some sequential images of the changes the icon went through until completion.

The Temptation of Christ Icon written by the Hand of Sue Valentine

Sue Valentine's Temptation of Christ Icon

“Jesus faced three temptations before He began His public ministry. The final temptation is the subject of this icon. The devil led Jesus to a high place, showed Him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world, and offered them to Jesus now, without having to suffer and die, if only Jesus would worship him.

This is a less familiar story to some, and because I wanted people to understand what they were seeing, the haiku at the bottom is an attempt to summarize the scripture for them:

“Kingdoms, if you bow.”

“Away from me, O Satan.”

“Worship God, alone.”

Matthew 4:8-10

People struggle with the idea of whether Jesus could be tempted. Sometimes the word is translated “test”. But whether He was tempted or tested, for this to be a true “test”, it had to have been possible for Jesus to fail it. What would have happened to us had He failed the test and worshipped Satan?

Kingdoms are tempting. Power is tempting. The ground surrounding the kingdoms depicted in the lower left are painted with gold to depict a counterfeit of heaven’s “streets of gold”, and subtle gold highlights in the windows imply there is something desirable yet hidden within. I decided not to make the kingdoms look more obviously attractive by applying gold to the outsides of the buildings. Kingdoms are, after all, seductive. But thankfully, Jesus wasn’t motivated by kingdoms. He was motivated by rescuing us.

More Progress Photos

The Homily, or Application of the Story

I felt His clarity of purpose as He responded to Satan, “Worship God, alone”, as He pointed His finger at the dragon. I find it interesting that there is no agitation on Jesus’ face. His eyes are closed. He is serene. But His conviction is clear.

Like most people, I would like to receive a reward from God without suffering, or without having to walk the whole road He has for me. I felt that as I wrote this icon. I struggled mightily with color choices, especially with the mountains and the inner background, and changed them many times asking the Holy Spirit to help me.

It’s tempting to want to design our own roads. It’s tempting to want an easy life. But that is not the way of a disciple. Worship of God includes acknowledging that He determines our path, including the subjects of our icons and the process we go through as we write them.”

Sue Valentine

I’m so grateful that Sue has shared this with all of us, and I hope that this can provide a model not only for discerning how to paint a particular icon, but also for allowing God to speak to us through the process of icon writing and convey that to the viewer.

With this, I put out a request to those of you with icons and their development to share with us all in next month’s newsletter. Just email me with your thoughts and photos: chales@halesart.com

I close this month’s newsletter with a prayer and quote from Psalm 106:

“For your lovingkindness is greater than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. Exalt yourself above the heavens O God, and your glory over all the earth, so that those who are dear to you may be delivered, save with your right hand and answer me.”

May God grant you all peace and the ability to be peace makers, and bless the work of your hands,

Love and prayers,

Christine Simoneau Hales

My Links:

MY PATREON: CLICK HERE

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983
American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

CHRISTINE HALES ICONS ON PATREON

Illuminating the Spirit: A Summer Reading Guide for Iconographers

Books and Inspiration to Enrich Your Icon Writing Practice

Summer unfurls like a painted scroll—light streaming through open windows, quiet hours stretching across the day, and, for the iconographer, a rare invitation to rest, reflect, and replenish the wellspring of inspiration. Whether you are a seasoned writer of icons, a beginner who has just dipped their brush into the egg tempera, or simply a lover of sacred art, the summer months offer an ideal time to step back from the demands of daily creation and immerse yourself in the wisdom, history, and spirituality that underpin the venerable and holy tradition of iconography.

Why Read in Summer? The Sacred Pause

In the stillness of summer, reading becomes a sacred pause—a time to deepen your understanding of icons not just as objects of devotion, but as living prayers in color and line. Iconographers often speak of their art as an act of contemplation: every stroke is a prayer, every layer a meditation. So too can reading be a contemplative act, enriching the mind and spirit while opening new vistas for creativity.

Foundational Texts: Revisiting the Roots

The Meaning of Icons by Leonid Ouspensky and Vladimir Lossky. This classic introduces the theological, spiritual, and artistic foundations of iconography. Through its pages, readers are led to understand the icon as a window to the divine, a theology in pigment, and a bridge between heaven and earth.
Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church by Alfredo Tradigo. Tradigo’s compact yet richly illustrated guide offers both historical context and practical wisdom. Each page is a pilgrimage through time, introducing saints, feasts, and the symbolic language of orthodox sacred art.
Icons as Communion by George Kordis. Kordis brings the ancient tradition into the present, with notes and observations on the drawing stages in icon painting. Amazon Link
Orthodox Icon Patterns, Patterns and sketches for Iconographers: This is the revised version of Patterns & Sketches for Iconographers, with added content and additional patterns. A valuable resource for iconographers, this book contains a wide variety of patterns and sketches. Content including; icon patterns of the Nativity, the Theotokos, archangels, male and female saints, as well as halo patterns and 2 beautiful crucifixion crosses. Buildings and fabric/ background designs and icon borders. Each pattern is accompanied by color recommendations which are meant as a general guide allowing for adjustments due to differences in color names between pigments used with egg tempera and acrylic paints. (There is also a Volume II if you like this one.). Amazon Link

Summer Reads For Inspiration and Insight

Summer reading need not always be heavy with theory or thick with history. Sometimes, lighter fare—biographies, memoirs, and even novels—can kindle the imagination and nurture the soul of the artist. You might consider adding a few of these to your summer list:

Praying with Icons by Jim Forest. Accessible and warmly written, Forest’s reflections on the role of icons in prayer lift the heart and draw the reader into a deeper appreciation of how icons shape and are shaped by the life of faith.
The Mystical Language of Icons by Solrunn Ness. Nes explores in depth a number of famous icons, including those of the Greater Feasts, the Mother of God, and a number of the better-known saints, enriching her discussion with references to Scripture, early Christian writings, and liturgy. She also leads readers through the process and techniques of icon painting, showing each step with photographs, and includes more than fifty of her own original works of art. Amazon Link
And if you would enjoy a deep dive into the life of the Blessed Mother Mary, I recommend “The Life of the Blessed Virgin” from the visions of Ann Catherine Emmerich, Incredibly revealing and edifying background of Our Lady, her parents and ancestors, St. Joseph, plus other people who figured into the coming of Christ. also available on Amazon: Amazon Link
And also “True Devotion to Mary” by Louis de Montfort: Considered by many to be the greatest single book of Marian spirituality ever written, True Devotion to Mary is St Louis de Montfort’s classic statement on the spiritual way to Jesus Christ though the Blessed Virgin Mary. Amazon Link
And last, but not least, is my own book on Icon writing, “Eyes of Fire, How Icons Saved My Life As an Artist”, with an appendix full of directions as well as an explanation of how modern art has been influenced by icons and how some of those principles can be used in present day icon creation. Amazon Link

As the art historian Roger Lipsky says in his book, “An Art of Our Own, the Spiritual in Twentieth Century Art”, “One of the tasks of the spiritual in art is to prove again and again that vision is possible; that this world, thick and convincing, is neither the only world nor the highest, and that our ordinary awareness is neither the only awareness nor the highest of which we are capable.”

And so my purpose in sharing this list of inspirational summer reading is to encourage you to engage with the ‘pause” of the longer summer days, and ponder on the beauty of nature and be open to glimpses of eternity that a fresh perspective can often foster. And then let this “higher”perspective inform your icon practice in the coming year,. In the words of Aidan Hart, in his book, “Beauty, Spirit, Matter, Icons in the Modern World, “The Icon invites us to see the world as God sees it.” With nature all around of us. may God bless us with His perspective and insights to carry forward into our work.

Until next month,

Christine Simoneau Hales, Iconographer/artist

My Websites:

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983
American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

The Blessed Virgin:

A Life Anchored in Grace, Obedience, and the Miraculous

The Blessed Virgin Mary is believed by many to be the greatest of Christian saints, after her Son, she is exalted by divine grace above angels and men. holds a place of profound honor in Christian faith and tradition. Known as the Mother of God, Queen of Heaven, and spiritual guide to all believers, her life offers us a powerful model of obedience, grace, and unwavering faith in difficult times. Since today is the Feast of the Visitation- one of my favorite icons- I thought it would be good to share some random thoughts about Mary and her significance to our faith.

I’ve been reading a book about Mary, The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, as part of my spiritual discipline for May and want to share some of the insights in this month’s blog. Since I have previously written a blog about Mary (see the link below), I didn’t try to replicate the insights in that one here. Mary is such a central figure in Christian icons, her visual presence stretching from the earliest Christian art in the catacombs to contemporary icons and I hope to add more nuance to our appreciation and ability to relate to her unique role in salvation history and Icons of Mary.

Symbols and Icons

In Orthodox iconography, Mary’s veil is deep red, the color of divinity, while the clothes under the veil are either green or blue, the colors of humanity. This is the opposite of the usual depiction of Christ’s robes’ colors. In western religious art depictions of Mary, her robes usually are a light blue. It’s always important to include the names of saints in icons, and icons of Mary usually have the letters “MP OY”, an abbreviation of the Greek: “Mater Theos” – the Mother of God to identify her. The lily represents her purity and virginity while the rose stands for her love and beauty. These symbols invite the viewer to reflect on Mary’s unique holiness and place within God’s plan for man’s salvation.

Mary’s Character Strengths

Mary’s faith and devotion are clearly seen in some of the pivotal moments of Christianity. In the Annunciation icon, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Son of God, highlighting her acceptance of God’s will, her humility, and deep courage. The Nativity shows the birth of Christ, the fulfillment of God’s promise, and the Flight into Egypt reveals Mary’s protective care in seeking safety for her son. Probably the most poignant is Mary’s presence at the Crucifixion, where her strength and sorrow are deeply felt. These icons not only narrate biblical events but also emphasize Mary’s prayerful and devoted character. Mary’s humility is evident in her acceptance of her Divine mission; her strength is shown in the trials she endures, and her holiness shines forth as the holy and blessed woman chosen to bear the Messiah. Mary, known as the Theotokos, or Mother of God, is a title that affirms Jesus’ divine nature. Throughout history, artists have returned to images of Mary and her son to express the deep bond between humanity and divinity.

Madonna and Christ Child Drawing by Nun Juliana

Theological Themes

While dogmas such as the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, Mary’s perpetual virginity, and her role as Mother of God are complex, Mary’s icons offer us a way to engage with these truths visually and these icons help believers grasp profound theological ideas with personal reflection and inspiration.

Icons of Mary continue illuminate her theological roles, demonstrate her virtues and connect her life story to the faith of believers past and present. I have seen many new icons of Mary, such as Mary, Untier of Knots, at least I believe it is a new prototype. If you have created an icon of Mary that you have created and would like to share it with us, please email it to me along with a description and I will add it to this post. Sharing our work with each other can often lead to fresh insights for ourselves and others.

Miracles and Apparitions

Icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe written by Christine Hales

The Virgin Mary is associated with numerous miracles and apparitions, often attributed to her intercession with God. These include miraculous healings, apparitions like those at Lourdes and Fatima, and the transformation of water into wine at Cana, among others

The Blessed Virgin Mary has been reported to appear to people in various locations, often offering messages of hope, repentance, and love. These apparitions are often followed by reports of miraculous physical and spiritual healings.

Lourdes, France, is a well-known example, with over 7,000 reported cases of miraculous healings and 70 scientifically validated by the Lourdes Medical Bureau. Mary is also associated with spiritual healing, helping people find solace and guidance in their faith. Some stories highlight the transformative power of Mary’s intercession on people’s spiritual lives, leading to conversion and deeper faith.

Sites of Miraculous Apparitions

Lourdes, France: This is perhaps the most famous site associated with Marian healing miracles. After St. Bernadette Soubirous reported visions of the Virgin Mary in 1858, a spring of water with purported healing properties was discovered there. The Catholic Church established the Lourdes Medical Bureau to investigate reported cures, and out of over 7,000 recorded instances of unexplained healing, 70 have been officially recognized as medically inexplicable miracles. The strict criteria for such recognition include that the healing is instantaneous, complete, permanent, and scientifically inexplicable.

Fatima, Portugal: Following apparitions of Mary to three shepherd children in 1917, various miracles were reported, including healings associated with a spring of water discovered after the apparitions. In one case, a woman whose illness Our Lady promised would be cured if she converted experienced healing. The “Miracle of the Sun,” a widely witnessed astronomical phenomenon, is also associated with the apparitions.

Attribution of Miracles: It’s crucial to understand that the Catholic Church attributes miracles to God’s power, often interceded through Mary’s prayers, not as something Mary performs independently.

Scientific and Theological Perspectives: The Catholic Church utilizes a rigorous process involving medical and theological experts to investigate reported miracles, seeking to discern if they are truly inexplicable by natural means and align with Catholic teachings.

Significance: Recognized miracles are viewed as signs of God’s love and mercy that can strengthen faith, not as a requirement for Catholic doctrine or devotion.

It is important to note that accounts of miraculous healings attributed to Mary are deeply rooted in faith and devotion. While some claims have undergone rigorous investigation and medical validation, the ultimate belief in their miraculous nature rests on faith in God.

I hope that these reflections may encourage you to explore the beauty and spiritual richness found in Marian art and discover anew the profound significance of Mary, Mother of God, and share them with this post or another post in the future!

Blessings and prayers,

Christine Simoneau Hales, Iconographer

Atakhist Mary Icon written by Christine Hales

Below is my previous blog post about Mary.

Mary

INTERSTING LINKS FOR ICONOGRAPHERS

Orthodox Arts Journal Article About the Work and life of Father Zinon

The Meaning of Icons, Father Maximos Constas

My Links:LINKS For Christine Simoneau Hales 2025

American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

https://newchristianicions.com my main website

Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons

https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en

American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983

Icons as Windows of Grace

Icons as Windows of Grace: The Sacred Intersection of Art, Symbol, and Sacrament

Recently I was blessed to have an inspiring conversation with Anglican Bishop Lindsay Urwin, retired Bishop from the UK and Australia, about Icons and I share with you some of the salient points below:

In Eastern Christian traditions, icons are seen as far more than religious art. They are revered as windows into heaven, channels for divine grace, and tangible manifestations of the spiritual presence of the holy figures they depict. For the faithful, an icon is not merely a representation; it is an encounter. To venerate an icon is to respond to the invitation to draw closer to God, to perceive His grace mediated through visible form.

Icons occupy a sacred space in Christian spirituality where symbol and presence interweave. They embody what Catholic theology describes in its understanding of sacraments and sacramentals: visible signs of invisible realities. Just as the sacraments are instituted by Christ and are efficacious signs of grace—conveying what they signify—so icons, in their own way, invite us into a deeper participation with divine life. Their power lies not in the paint or wood, but in what they carry: a sacred presence and a call to communion with God.

The sacraments themselves hold a dual nature. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops teaches, they have both a visible and invisible reality. The visible form is the rite, the action, the object we can see and touch—like water in baptism, or bread and wine in the Eucharist. The invisible is God’s grace working within and through that form, His initiative in offering redemption and love to humanity. This grace is a gift, and our response to it—imitating Christ in daily life—is itself a grace given by God.

While sacraments are central rituals instituted by Christ, sacramentals—such as holy water, rosaries, the Sign of the Cross, and yes, icons—bear a resemblance to sacraments. Though they do not confer grace in the same way, they prepare us to receive it. They sanctify the ordinary, inviting the sacred into daily life and helping us remain mindful of God’s presence.

The icon, then, functions as a kind of sacramental. It sanctifies our gaze. It evokes the presence of the one depicted, drawing us into relationship with the divine mystery. Through form, color, and symbolism, icons project more than their material reality; they bring into the present the holy reality they signify. Their beauty is not only visual but spiritual, awakening in the viewer an awareness of the eternal.

To look upon an icon with faith is to look with the eyes of the heart. In the New Testament, faith and love are inseparable. One cannot be a person of faith without being a person of love—not just sentiment, but a love that transforms one’s whole being. Icons invite us into this love. They offer a quiet yet powerful participation in the mystery of salvation, guiding our hearts to respond to God’s gracious initiative.

Symbols, like icons, give meaning to our lives. They help us remember who we are in relation to God. They build within us a storehouse of spiritual memory—a reservoir of grace and encounter that can sustain us in times of doubt or difficulty. By contemplating the truths they carry, we remember that we live within a great tradition, a flowing river of grace and presence.

In the end, icons do not just teach doctrine or inspire piety; they reflect and participate in the reality of God’s action in the world. They help us to see—not with physical sight alone, but with the inward sight of faith. And through them, we step closer into that divine mystery where the visible and invisible meet.

INTERESTING LINKS FOR ICONOGRAPHERS

Betsy Porter, an iconographer at Saint Gregory’s Church in San Francisco, California, hosts interesting discussions with iconographers on Zoom that are open to all. Here is the current schedule: “These monthly Zoom meetings will continue on May 18, June 15, July 13, August 17, September 14, October 12, November 9, and December 7. If you have a special interest or expertise in any icon-related subject, we welcome you as a discussion leader on your topic.

Some of our Zoom sessions have been recorded, when requested, and archived by St. Gregory’s office. Here’s the permanent link to the Icon video archive. Videos are chronological, named by recording date & time.Icon Videos – Google Drive“. EMail Betsy to be put on her mailing list: betsyhartporter@yahoo.com

Until next month, May God continue to bless the work of your hands,

Christine Simoneau Hales

New Christian Icons

My Online Icon Classes

My Icon Prints

Icons For Lent

If ever there were icons that personified the phrase, “Icons as theology in Color” it would be Lenten and Easter Icons.

We could start with the Stations of the Cross Icons.

Stations of the Cross Station One — Station One Icon, Christine Hales

I wrote these icons many years ago in a small village in the Hudson Valley New York. I had been asked by my priest at the beginning of Lent to write these icons and have them finished by Good Friday!!! Those of you who have written icons know how impossible a task that seemed! And so it was, that I embarked on that somber and deep journey of walking with Christ as I created each icon with prayer and sometimes tears. I do want to mention that I was studying icon writing at that time with a nun at the New Skete Monastery in upstate New York, Sister Patricia Reed. When I would go up to work with her, I often watched her as she created her Stations of the Cross icons for the All Saints Cathedral in Albany New York. So, I asked for her help and she kindly gave me color photographs of her stations, which I used to create these icons here. That was a big help, and it is part of the traditions of icon writing, that the designs are handed down from generation to generation, from teacher to pupil, thus ensuring a correct understanding and transmitting the means and methods of icon writing from master to student.

These currently hang in the chapel of the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Saint Petersburg, Florida. The tradition of walking the path of Christ’s Passion dates back to the earliest Christian pilgrims, who visited the sites in Jerusalem believed to be where Jesus walked to his crucifixion. By the 13th and 14th centuries, the Franciscans—who had been granted custody of Christian holy places—popularized this devotion in Europe by constructing “stations” that mirrored the Via Dolorosa. Over time, different numbers of stations were used, until Pope Clement XII fixed the total at fourteen in 1731.

During the late Middle Ages, devotion to the Stations of the Cross was tied to the idea of indulgences, leading some Protestants to reject the practice. Nonetheless, Francis of Assisi and his order played a pivotal role in promoting veneration of Christ’s Passion, establishing shrines and receiving papal recognition as custodians of the holy sites. By the 15th and 16th centuries, the Franciscans built outdoor Stations of the Cross across Europe, often placing them in small chapels or along paths leading to churches.

The titles of each Station, and the Scripture relating to it are as follows:

Station One. The accusing hand condemns Jesus to crucifixion. Matthew 27:31

Station Two. Jesus Picks up His cross. The strong diagonals give a powerful sense of unrest, explosive energy. John 19:6

Station Three. Jesus Falls For the First Time from the weight of the Cross. John 19: 1-3

Station Four. Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother. Luke 2: 34-36 …and a sword shall pierce your heart…

Station Five. The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene. Luke 23:26-27. Bent over double, the cross almost crushes Jesus.

Station Six Saint Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. Isaiah 53:2-3

Station Seven: Jesus Falls for the Second Time This time the diagonal of the cross is pointing forward- this is the halfway point of the Passion

Station Eight: The Women of Jerusalem mourn our Lord Luke 23:28-29

Station Nine: Jesus Falls for the Third Time. Isaiah 53:4-6

Station Ten: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments. Luke 23: 34-35

Station Eleven : Jesus is nailed to the Cross. Luke 23:33

Station Twelve: Jesus Dies On The Cross Luke 23:44-47. Into your hands I commend my spirit… The rectangle is broken- split apart, showing visually the magnitude of this event forever changes the world.

Station Thirteen: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross. Matthew 27: 54-55. The position of the hand shows that he is dead.

Station Fourteen: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb. Matthew 27:59-62

With these, you may notice that no faces are visible, and the flesh color is neither white, black or any particular ethnicity. This is because these icons are meant to be a universal visual language to be “read” and related to by all humans, because God’s plan is to save all people.

Some other of my icons that relate to Lent and Easter that are also currently at the Cathedral of Saint Peter- until after May 1, are :

Entry into Jerusalem. Written by Christine Hales

Thinking about the Cross and Icons, I came across this writing of St. Theodore the Studite, an Abbot in a monastery in Bithynia in the late 800’s: “THE CROSS AND THE ICON. “Should the cross be venerated more than the icon?” the heretics ask. “Should it be venerated equally, or in a lesser degree?”

“Since there is a natural order in these things, I think you are speaking superfluously. If by ‘the cross’ you mean the original cross, how could it not have priority in veneration? For on it, the impassable Word suffered, and it has such power that by its mere shadow it burns up the demons and drives them far away from those who bear its seal. But if you mean the representation of the cross, your question is not intelligent. The effects receive differing honor just as much as the causes differ, since whatever is received for some use is less honored than that for the sake of which it was received. Thus the cross is received for the sake of Christ, because it was formerly an instrument of condemnation, but was later hallowed, when it was accepted for the use of the divine passion.” St. Theodore the Studite, On The Holy Icons.

Having just given a talk and written an article attempting to explain the period of iconoclasm, I include the above quote as an eloquent explanation not only of the veneration of the Cross, but also of the obvious distinctions between veneration due to the original source and that due a replication of it.

I’ll close this month’s blog with a prayer and a blessing for God to bless each of you especially during this Holy Season of Lent and Easter:

“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world; Evermore give us this bread, that He may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.” From the Book of Common Prayer.

With love and prayers,

Christine Hales

Some Interesting Links for Iconographers

Sacred Geometry with Donald Duck! A fun explanation for beginners

Interview with Todor Mitrovic, Orthodox Arts Journal

Christian Iconography Shows Us the Pattern of Reality: Jonathan Pageau, St. Tikhon’s Seminary

My Links:

LINKS For Christine Simoneau Hales 2025

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983

American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

Icons As Theology in Color

In the realm of Christian spirituality, icons stand as more than mere religious art. They are a visual form of divine communication, a sacred language that transcends time and culture. As Leonid Ouspensky notes, icons do not serve religion in a utilitarian sense but are an intrinsic part of it—one of the means through which believers encounter and commune with God. When I think of Icons as theology in color, I inevitably go to the Novgorod Icons which were created in Russia from the 14th to 17th centuries.

Sts. Florus and Laurus 16th century, Novgorod

Icons as Liturgical Art

An icon, much like sacred scripture, is a vessel of divine revelation. In the same way that words in liturgy guide the faithful toward deeper understanding, icons serve as instruments of knowledge and communion with God. They are not decorations; they are theological expressions rendered in color and form, inviting contemplation and prayer.

Tradition and the Role of the Holy Spirit

Christian tradition is often misunderstood as mere adherence to historical customs, but its essence is far more profound. As stated in theological reflections, true Tradition is the life of the Holy Spirit in the Church. It is through the Spirit that believers gain the faculty to perceive divine Truth—not merely through human reason but through the illumination of faith. Icons, shaped by this Tradition, bear witness to a spiritual reality that is ever-present and active.

The Power of Signs and Symbols

The Good Shepherd, From the Roman Catacombs

The material and spiritual worlds are not separate; rather, they are deeply intertwined. This is evident in the role of symbols, which serve as bridges between the seen and unseen. Early Christian symbols carried layers of meaning—the image of a saint in the catacombs could signify a soul in paradise, an embodiment of prayer, or even the Church itself. Through repeated sacred gestures and imagery, the faithful are invited to enter into the mystery of divine presence.

The Evolution of Christian Symbolism

Christianity has always expressed its mysteries through symbols. Early believers adapted existing signs from the surrounding world—such as the dove, peacock, and anchor—infusing them with new, transcendent meaning. As time passed, explicitly Christian symbols emerged, such as the fish (Ichthys) and the lamb, both representing Christ. These symbols, while rooted in human expression, point to eternal truths beyond words.

Icons: Transcendent Yet Concrete

While maintaining the depth of symbolic language, the icon introduces a unique dimension—the human element. Unlike abstract symbols, the icon makes divine mysteries visually accessible. It brings the infinite into finite form, allowing the ineffable to be expressed in a way that speaks directly to the soul. In the words of Egon Sendler, the icon transforms the abstract into something both transcendent and concrete, revealing the invisible through the visible.

Conclusion

Detail, Face of Christ Icon by the hand of Christine Hales

Icons are not simply religious images; they are theology in color, sacred windows into the divine. Through tradition, symbolism, and the work of the Holy Spirit, they continue to guide believers into a deeper relationship with God. Whether through the gaze of a saint, the presence of Christ, or the gestures of the liturgy, icons remind us that the sacred is always near, calling us into communion with the eternal.

I hope this article has been not only food for thought, but helps to build a solid foundation of theology for contemporary icon development.

“So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Until next month. Blessings,

Christine Simoneau Hales, Iconographer

LINKS For Christine Simoneau Hales 2025

https://newchristianicions.com my main website
Https://christinehalesicons.com Prints of my Icons
https://online.iconwritingclasses.com my online pre-recorded icon writing classes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK2WoRDiPivGtz2aw61FQXA My YouTube Channel
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristineHalesFineArt or https://www.facebook.com/NewChristianIcons/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinehalesicons/?hl=en
American Association of Iconographers: FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/371054416651983

American Association of Iconographers Website: https://americanassociationoficonographers.com

How Important Is Drawing?

Often when I teach icon writing classes, I am asked to critique students’ previous icons, and almost always, my comments revolve around drawing more. Re-draw the composition, or the faces, or the figures. And so, for this blog post I am including some random ideas for improving your icon drawing.

First, I’d like to share about an iconographer whose drawings I particularly admire- Nun Juliana. Mother Juliana was a Russian icon painter who was a prominent figure in the renewal of sacred arts in Russia during the second half of the 20th century.

She was also a teacher of iconography, discussing the meaning of the subject matter, technique, materials, and style. Mother Juliana’s work was part of a rediscovery and renewal of sacred arts that has reached world wide proportions.

Today Mother Juliana is considered a saint by the Orthodox Church and is credited with preserving the tradition of icon painting in Russia and beyond through her work and those she taught.

During the first decades of Soviet rule in Russia holy images, especially icons, were subjected to harsh persecution. It was a period of unrestrained, militant atheism during which, together with the closing of churches and monasteries, great numbers of icons were destroyed. From this it is easy to comprehend the difficulties faced by those who wished to preserve the traditions of Russian icon painting.

The nun Juliana, known to the world as Maria Nikolajevna Sokolova, preserved the living tradition of ancient Russian icon painting, transmitting it to her successors during one of the most difficult periods in the history of the Russian Church. This is the basis of her significance for modern icon painters.

Egon Sendler’s states in his foundational book, “The Icon, Images of the Invisible”, that “The drawing is of great importance because it gives structure and movement to the icon and determines the surfaces to be painted. The ancient iconographers religiously kept the sketches of their icons so they could use them again in their later works. These collections of drawings were called podlinik, pattern books.”

We know that in the Byzantine method, a relational system of proportions was employed, thus giving a consistency to the visual images that allow the viewer to concentrate on the meanings of the icon. This system of relational proportions was probably inherited by Egyptian artists who also used a simple grid system to standardize proportions of figures.

Byzantine compositional drawing develops a relationship with rhythm and space in the icon that enables the viewer and the icon to meet- the dynamic elements of the icon are intentionally created to engage the viewer and bring them into a relational experience with the subject of the icon.

Without depth, the vertical method of composition is used in Byzantine compositional drawing, for example, objects which are behind in the icon are placed above in the composition, and those in front are placed on the lower section of the composition. The Nativity icon is a very good example of this principle.

The last set of ideas I wish to share with you derive from Iconographer George Kordis in his book, “Icon as Communion”. In speaking of the artistic principles of Byzantine art this is what he says, “This is what we recognize as Byzantine art, and it bears the following characteristic features:

The absence of artistic depth (there is no movement behind the artistic surface.)
The essential role and fundamental importance of color in rendering form: forms are defined through color and not through the use of black or shadow..
The essential role and fundamental importance of line, which determines how color is applied…
The plasticity of artistic form (the juxtaposition of light and dark) in order to give the feeling of movement outward from the artistic surface toward the beholder.
The pursuit of rhythm (the sense of movement that relates the figure to the viewer, uniting the two.)

Obviously this article is presenting the tip of the iceberg! Hopefully these thoughts stimulate your creative process and help your icons become the best representation of God’s kingdom possible. Although I am familiar with all of these principles, I find that I need to read them often to keep them constantly in mind when I draw.

Below are some interesting links from Iconographer Dorothy Alexander:

Father Dingman, the iconographer, reposed in 2022. This is a well made and very interesting 45 minutes documentary following the iconography he was working on for St. Lawrence Orthodox Church in Felton, CA, as he was also on a journey with parkinson’s disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ASpT8L7hE
The Monastery of St. Anthony in Egypt has been active for almost 2,000 years. Here is a presentation on the restoration of the original Coptic iconography: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/resurrecting-the-monastery-of-st-anthony-american-research-center-in-egypt/tgXBRioluve_Dg?hl=en
Connie Ash passed on this wonderful site for Gilding Recipes from Watergild Studios in England.

Here is a link to the Icon retreats I am teaching this year: Icon Retreats

And here is link describing the Artist in Residence program I am participating in at the Cathedral of Saint Peter, Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Until next month,

Blessings,

Christine Simoneau Hales

New Christian Icons

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