www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall New Icon and a Story!

Greetings, all!

Here is a pic of my most recent icon:

[Linked Image]

This is a "prototype" icon that I painted while leading a class in iconography for the older Sunday School students of Saint Michael\'s Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Geneva, NY [stmichaelsgeneva.org] . The classes were held on Sundays and lasted for a couple months.

This was my first try at teaching iconography, and I felt incredibly unqualified to be doing this, especially at my age. But both the students and I had a lot of fun doing this project, and a lot of them want to do it again. They all came with different abilities and skill levels, but regardless of their artistic talent, they all learned something about iconography and all were able to express their faith in line and color. (The usual teacher of the class is celticson, a member of our Forum! Did YOU finish your icon yet? )

I hope to get a photo of their completed icons, and I will post that when I do.

Dave
http://www.holytrinitypoconos.org/dmicons/

So majestically beautiful. It was breath taking to me when I opened up the heading. Thanks!

Beautiful work Dave. AND, to teach a class - WOW!

Yes, I would really like to see your classes' work. If you don't post it here, please send it to me via PM.

You do beautiful work and I am envious. My 1st grade teacher (Sister Mary Godzilla) sent a note home to the effect that, "Charles can not color within the lines." I still can't.

My kindergarten teacher mildly scolded me for coloring an Easter Bunny blue. Obviously my creative side would amount to nothing.

Slava Bohu!

Dave

Dave,

Easter bunnies aren't blue? Next, you'll be telling us that cows aren't purple :rolleyes:

The icon is breath-taking. Congratulations, my friend, for the talent with which God has blessed you.

Many years,

Neil

PS - you hot-linked the image; you're eating your bandwidth

Thanks for the compliments! To God be glory.

How else do I put an image on the Forum? Do we have a place on the Forum to upload images that I just don't know about?

Dave

David- Did you learn from Phil Zimmerman, or one of his students? Your style looks like that school.
Yes, isn't teaching fun? I am teaching my second class the first week of August...
-Daniel

I have never had any dealings with Phil or his students, nor have I ever tried to copy his work.

I suppose that the resemblance might be due to my use of acrylics, and that I tend to make the faces a bit "browner" and less "yellow."

I learned the basics of iconography from my dad, Ray Mastroberte, when I was much younger (8 or 9); the rest is the fruit of working on my own, with dad's correction and guidance.

Dave

Wow! I wish I lived close enough to you to take a class on Iconography

Dave,

Not of which I'm aware - other than e-mailing an image to John and asking him to upload it; otherwise, I'd recommend posting a link.

As happened to someone else here recently (I forget whom), you'll fast discover that your site is exceeding its bandwidth. At this point, I'd suggest pm'ing Deacon John Montalvo and asking him to edit your original post by replacing the existing image with the link to it on the Holy Trinity site; that will solve the problem.

Many years,

Neil

Dave- I was thinking more that your treatment of highlights and clothing looks like Zimmerman's students. He learned from Bishop JOB; is there a link there perhaps?
-Daniel

How long does it take to teach a class? How does one go about it?

I've met Bishop Job, and one of my customers ordered an icon and a panagia to give him as gifts, but those would be the only connections between Bishop Job and me. (Interestingly, Bishop Job is self-taught in the ways of iconography.)

Dave

The idea for the class was generated by some of the Sunday School teachers, in cooperation with a fellow from the parish, Floyd, who studied with Ksenia Pokrovskaya. Floyd wanted me to get involved, and eventually turned the whole thing over to me (since Floyd was having some health problems).

Most lessons happened in a 20-25 minute period before the Sunday Divine Liturgy; this was not enough time, so we often met for a bit after the Divine Liturgy.

For this type of "accelerated icon class," I would paint, they would watch and then do what I did. Sometimes I would have to step in and give pointers.

We began lessons about midway through the Great Fast, and had our final lesson last week; I'd have continued since not everyone finished, but my semester is over and I have to head back home!

Initially, I was worried that the students wouldn't enjoy this task or would find it boring. In the end, all of them had a great time, and many want to do it again.

Dave

Dave- Thanks for clearing up a mystery for me; I had never been able to find out from whom Bishop JOB had learned.
Pani Rose- I teach an intensive one week class. Students must commit to spending a good part of each day to complete an icon, usually around 8 hours a day. We begin Sunday after Divine Liturgy, when Bishop John Michael blesses my fledgling iconographers, and if all goes well the icons are ready for varnishing Saturday morning, and are blessed at the Sunday Liturgy.
-Daniel