New Book on Icons by Aidan Hart

Aidan Hart, who taught an iconography workshop in Calgary last May, has announced the publication of a new book on icons.

Entitled, Beauty,  Spirit,  Matter: Icons in the Modern World, here is what the publishers webpage says about the book:

Sacred Icons, images of God made man and man made God, have never ceased to be an integral part of Orthodox Christian cultures, but it is only now, after centuries of absence, that they are becoming understood again in the west.  The attraction of their strange beauty and mystery is ultimately rooted in the fact that icons resonate with our innermost being as creatures of both spirit and matter.

As there are numerous excellent books about the theology and the liturgical use of icons, this volume concentrates on the broader implications of the icon’s theology for our lives in the twenty-first century; exploring the insight that icons give to such contemporary issues as ecology, the relationship between sacred art and culture or that between scientific knowledge and spiritual knowledge, the role of our bodies in the spiritual life and the nature of beauty.

Those that took Aidan's workshop will remember his humble spirit and the deeply spiritual approach that he takes to his art.   I am sure that this new book will be full of deep insights and inspiration.  The book is 288 pages long with 32 colour plates and Gracewing has priced it  at the amazingly low price of  £14.99  

The St. Mary's University College bookstore will be ordering 20 copies of the book as soon as it is available from the publisher as well as additional copies of Aidan's earlier book.  Hopefully these will be in stock for those attending this spring and summer's workshops to purchase. 

Icon Painting As a Living Tradition

The online journal, Orthodox Arts Journal, has just published an excellent and wide ranging interview with the Russian iconographers Philip Davydov and his wife, Olga Shalamova.  Local iconographers will remember the excellent workshop they led in Calgary several years ago.  Their icons are deeply rooted in the Russian and Byzantine tradition but also have a contemporary freshness and vitality about them.

Christ Appearing to the Myrrh Bearers by Philip Davydov (2013)

In their interview Philip and Olga discuss the training necessary to become an iconographer, their theological understanding of iconography, and the direction that iconography is heading today.  As Philip states:  "...iconography is no more pure craftsmanship or art, but true theology in colors."  Just click on the link above and read the full interview.  You will find it well worth the read.

Nativity of Christ by Olga Shalamova (2013)

We are pleased that Philip has agreed to come to Calgary in early September to teach a special 3 day workshop on true fresco painting.  More details about this workshop will be posted soon.  We are looking forward to the chance to learn more from him.

The Art of Illumination in the Gothic Style: A Workshop Taught by David Clayton

St. Mary's University College will be hosting a workshop in July with the artist and writer, David Clayton. 

The workshop introduces students to the fundamentals of developing an illuminated image based on the English gothic style often described as the School of St. Albans. Its leading artist in the 13^th century was a Benedictine monk called Matthew Paris. Using images from medieval manuscripts such as the Westminster Psalter, students will learn to develop their own drawing and transfer the image to high quality watercolour paper or vellum.  Students will then learn to mix their own pigments and paint the images using the traditional medieval technique of egg tempera.

N.B. This course will be suitable to both beginners who wish to learn the medieval technique of egg tempera painting and to advanced students who wish to become more proficient in developing their own drawings from ancient manuscripts and develop their painting skills.

Instructor:  David Clayton is an internationally recognized artist, writer, and broadcaster.   His artistic training includes the sacred art tradition of Byzantine iconography (with Aidan Hart) as well as portrait painting in the Western realist tradition, which he studied in a traditional atelier in Florence, Italy. 

After beginning his artist career in England, David moved to New Hampshire to become the Artist-in-Residence at Thomas More College of the Liberal Arts.  He has completed a number of commissions including for the London Oratory, Pluscarden Monastery, Scotland, and the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham.  David also produced and presented a 13 part TV series about traditional art and Catholic culture entitled The Way of Beauty.   He also edits a popular blog by the same name.

Schedule:  July 14-18, 2014. Daily classes begin at 9 am. 

Hours:  35 hours

Tuition: $550 plus GST.
Location: St. Mary’s University College

In order to maintain the close one-on-one nature of instruction, enrolment will be limited. Tuition is due at the time of registration.  Students may cancel their registration and receive a refund (minus a $50 administration fee) up to 7 days prior to the beginning of the course.  After this date, no refunds are given for cancellation. 

For registration information contact 403-531-9130 or sacredarts@stmu.ca