The Jesus Guild had the great privilege to host an Iconography Workshop taught by Veronica Royal from July 17th – 21st on the campus of the Georgetown Oratory in Redding. Coming from as far away as Philadelphia and Albany, there were students who were expert iconographers with 10 or more years of experience, and some had never painted before.

Veronica emphasized to the class that painting, or writing, icons is a very prayerful process. The week began with Holy Mass on Monday morning when each artist received a blessing. Each class began in prayer, inviting the Holy Spirit “who was present in the creation of our beautiful universe, to be present in our life and inspire us to echo the eternal beauty of Jesus, His Mother Mary, and all the saints…by His grace, teach us the technique of painting holy icons and thereby give glory to God.”

With 25 years of experience painting icons, Veronica’s interest in iconography stems from her cultural background as Russian and Ukrainian. Over those 25 years, she has traveled throughout Europe and the United States with a desire to master the discipline of iconography. And now as a master iconographer herself, she travels all over the world to teach this great art form. Along with leading workshops, Veronica lectures on iconography and is a full-time iconographer, working on commissions for religious organizations, churches and individuals.

Resi, one of the students new to iconography, remarked that beginning each day at the workshop in prayer helped her to open herself up to the presence of God in a new way. At times while painting, she would realize that she had become focused so much on painting, that she had “disconnected” from His presence, and remembering the prayer, she lifted her gaze back to Him. She said that this awareness of His continual presence with her has impacted her time outside of the class as well. Another prayer prayed by the class begins, “Lord, grant that I may meet the coming day with spiritual tranquility. Grant that in all things I may rely upon Your holy will.” Another student, Ken, echoed Resi’s words, saying that he was exhausted at the end of each day having focused so closely for 8 hours on the painting process. He said that when he truly and prayerfully allowed the Holy Spirit to guide his hand, painting seemed effortless, and he imagined that developing the gift of iconography is a process of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide more and more of the brushstrokes.

Ewa Krepsztul, the Guild’s Graphic Designer and coordinator of the workshop, attended Veronica’s workshop last year as well, and that experience had a profound effect on Ewa who has now completed 12 additional icons over the past year. As a critical part of her spiritual journey, painting icons has given her a very personal experience of God as she meets Him in her time of painting. As she paints various saints, Our Lady and Our Lord, she finds that she speaks with them while her hand is led to reflect their sacred images.

Throughout the class, Veronica would spend time speaking to the whole workshop about iconography or giving specific directions regarding the process of painting the icon. Then, she would spend the rest of the class working individually with students, gently guiding, encouraging, helping them to improve their brush technique, or to see the variations of color, or encouraging them to be less tentative and more bold in their work.

On Veronica’s website, royaliconstudio.com, she writes, “Iconography does not seek to express an artist’s personal point of view, but expresses the teachings of the historical Church, its traditions, and Scripture…Contemplating the visual representation of the icon, the faithful are brought into contact with the presence of God. The artist is not so concerned about the exterior resemblance of the subject, but attempts to capture the essence and spirit of the person or event portrayed. Strict rules of subject and technique foster a timeless and universal quality of the icon which expresses the mystery of the divine.”

Veronica chose for the students to paint the Mandylion Icon, depicting the face of Christ on the Holy Napkin. Several of those attending the class commented that it was incredible to spend a week meditating on and painting the icon of the Holy Face. Students expressed that there was such a personal and intimate connection, that prayers were poured out and into the process of painting. From a blank piece of wood, His face and His beautiful eyes emerged as if a veil were parted for them to see Him.

In a Sermon during the week of the workshop, Fr. Michael Clark, Rector of the Georgetown Oratory and the Jesus Guild, said that art reveals the face of Christ. “God is able to create something out of nothing, from nothing, something comes into being.” Similarly, the artist takes a blank canvas, sheet of paper, block of marble, and beauty emerges as the Hand of the Creator directs the hand of the creator.

Veronica said that these workshops which she leads throughout the world draw together the most wonderful, gentle, loving people. Although there are strict rules in how an icon is written, one can see slight variations in each icon that are connected to each person’s prayerful expression of the Holy Face. To enter the hall where they were painting was to enter into holy ground as each person revealed the face of Christ not only in the icon but in each person meditating for 40 hours during the week’s long workshop and then reflecting His face.

As a culmination to the workshop, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom was celebrated on Friday evening at the Georgetown Oratory by Fr. Thomas Davis, Syncellus of the Melkite Eparchy of Newton. It was a tremendous opportunity to experience the beauty of the Byzantine liturgy with its ancient and otherworldly tone of the chant. After everyone had received communion, Fr. Davis blessed each newly painted icon by touching it to the chalice containing the Precious Blood of Christ.

Fr. Clark commented, “To see the face of Christ emerge from the brushes of these artists was truly remarkable. Under Veronica’s expert guidance I could see the students were invited into the order and discipline of a deep spiritual tradition. But we were also able to connect the dots by demonstrating how icons are used in the Divine Liturgy. This is powerful art, oriented precisely to holiness.”

These wonderful icons, written in prayer and guided by the Holy Spirit, truly do give glory to God.

(Liz Sweeney is the Communications Manager for the Georgetown Oratory and the Jesus Guild.)