A Grave Cross for Father Matthew Baker

When Jonathan Pageau and I were asked to make a grave cross for the late Fr. Matthew Baker, we were humbled by the task. Fr. Matthew was a beloved young priest, a prominent Orthodox thinker, and father of six children. His tragic death in an automobile accident on March 1st, 2015, on his way home…

Continue reading »

Improving Icon Carving Through Drawing

One of the complex questions that faces modern icon carving is the pervasive presence of the painted icon within the tradition of iconography.   For many reasons which I hope to write about in the future, icon carving became a somewhat marginalized art form as the centuries advanced.  And so for myself and the small group…

Continue reading »

The Altar and The Portico (pt.2): Gallery Art

This is post 2 of 2 in the series “The Altar and The Portico” Aidan Hart explores the relationships and differences between sacred art and secular gallery art. The Altar and The Portico (pt.1) The Altar and The Portico (pt.2): Gallery Art THE SACRED AND THE SECULAR The Relationship of Orthodox Iconography and Gallery Art…

Continue reading »

The Altar and The Portico (pt.1)

This is post 1 of 2 in the series “The Altar and The Portico” Aidan Hart explores the relationships and differences between sacred art and secular gallery art. The Altar and The Portico (pt.1) The Altar and The Portico (pt.2): Gallery Art THE ALTAR AND THE PORTICO (PT.1) The Relationship of Orthodox Iconography and Gallery…

Continue reading »

As if Through a Child’s Inner Eye: The Contemporary Icons of Maxim Sheshukov

The distinctively fresh and masterful work of Maxim Sheshukov, a contemporary iconographer working in Sviyazhsk (Kazan region of Russia), is another example of the best synthesis of creative interpretation and conformity to Tradition which we can find nowadays. His work was mentioned in passing in a previous article on Contemporary Iconographers of Russia, but I thought it…

Continue reading »

The Dragons that Almost Exist

Explaining the icon of St-George slaying the dragon to a 4 year old is amazing. Explaining the icon of St-George to a 10 year old is excruciating — “Yeah, but dragons don’t exist, do they?”. Do they? When someone tells you that dragons don’t exist or that monsters don’t exist, what is it they are…

Continue reading »

Painting a Magnificent Dome in South Carolina

I would like to share a great milestone in the history of my own parish – the painting of the dome. Holy Ascension in Charleston, South Carolina, was consecrated in 2008. We have looked forward to the completion of the dome with great anticipation, and the results have far exceeded my own expectations. I believe it…

Continue reading »

The Idea of Canonicity in Orthodox Liturgical Art

First published in Composing and Chanting in the Orthodox Church: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Orthodox Church Music, Joensuu: ISOCM/University of Joensuu, 2009, 337-342  © 2009 Ivan Moody All rights reserved.   The Idea of Canonicity in Orthodox Liturgical Art Ivan Moody  “Divine beauty is transmitted to all that exists, and it is…

Continue reading »

Interview with Daniel Neculae

(Editor’s note: A few years ago we introduced our readers to the luscious work of Daniel Neculae, a Romanian iconographer now living in Luxembourg.  Last year Daniel gave his first workshop in the US which was attended Marek Czarnecki, veteran American iconographer and teacher himself who agreed to conduct and edit this interview for us.)…

Continue reading »