A sample of other's work

 Here is a sample of what other people created at the icon workshop.  There were some very gifted folks studying here as well as a couple of novices like myself.  Made for a nice mix.  The accomplished never once made you feel out of place but were always helpful.

Click on this and look at the intricate gold leaf work.  This particular gold leaf is applied by writing on the icon with 'Beer glue"  Yep...you boil down a bottle of lager and then you paint that on the icon very thinly.  You blow on the beer glue to get it sticky and then apply the gold leaf. 

In Orthodox tradition Mary always has her head covered and is always painted with the Christ...never alone.   (to have your hair uncovered was the sign of the prostitute).   In the West Mary is often by herself and usually has her hair down.

This was a demonstration on how to attach gold leaf to the back and around the icon.  It is a three day process so only those who started at home did this.  This process is quite beautiful to watch, no beer glue, just a special additive you paint on the board (after shellac) then the gold is applied in squares and it seamlessly contexts by rubbing with a cotton ball.  WARNING:  Every eyelash, dust particle or brush hair is IMMEDIATELY visible under the gold if you are not extremely careful.

Click on the picture and look at the icon.  This is the famous "Trinity."  The more figures and the smaller the faces the harder it is to do.  This piece is actually a "commissioned" piece which means someone has paid for it to be created.  This by the way is Jennie from my previous posts.