Adapting a Painted Icon to Carving

One of the exciting aspects of the renewal in icon carving we have seen in the last few decades is how this renewal is in a constant dialogue with painted icons.  One of the visible goals, one of my own goals, is a search to infuse into the carved image some of the visual aspects…

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A Contemporary Opus Sectile Icon

Last year, I promised our readers that I would try to create an opus sectile icon, that is an icon that joins different stones together to make an image.  I recently had the chance to create something that is a mix of carving and mosaic and is probably as close as I am going to…

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Wedding with Carved Crowns

Several months ago I posted an article on wooden crowns I had carved for a young couple.  Well, I was overjoyed when this newly married couple, Peter & Chelsea Simko sent me pictures of the ceremony using the crowns.  I thought I would share them with all of you.  May Christ crown them with glory!…

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The Cave in The Nativity Icon

Just as the Ass and the Ox, the cave portrayed in the nativity icon is not specifically mentioned in Scripture as being the birthplace of Christ.  In fact, St-Luke’s account does not say exactly where Christ was born, only that The Holy Virgin lay him in a manger.  So why a cave? Why not a little…

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Iconography In The Landscape

One of the points I have been hammering at since I began writing for OAJ, is how symbolism is not just an arbitrary set of codes and meanings but is rather the very place where logos encounters the world, a coming together of different levels of reality. (See for ex, my article on the Recovery…

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PaTRAM Institute Launches Website

The Patriarch Tikhon American Music Institute is part of the same effort behind the Patriarch Tikhon Choir who’s latest concert received wonderful reviews.  Under the continual guidance of Vladimir Gorbik, the institute offers many solutions for training North Americans who wish to increase their ability to chant in the Russian tradition.  As usual, our own…

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