Atelier

The board

First the wood has to be chosen and worked, to determine which icon should be written on it.

A tree has to be chopped down to obtain the wood for the board, a hollow area is carved out from the centre of the board, this is the sacred place where the word of ‘scripture’  is written in paint.

The strips of cloth

These indicate the shroud in which the body of the Lord was wrapped. The cloth is steeped in size and laid down in strips. The size is made from rabbit skin glue and water , the death of the animal is a necessary sacrifice for the icon to be given life.  Water is seen in terms of the  cleansing qualities of baptism.

The gesso – The ‘levkas’ is made from mixing the size with a whiting mixture which symbolises the ‘seals of the tomb’. It forms a white stone like material, which represents the new stone on which the new icon will be written.

Gilding

Gold leaf is applied to the icon, it symbolises the presence of God, like gold it does not tarnish, does not decay, cannot be destroyed

The paint

Egg tempera is the binding medium used for the pigments. The yolk of an egg , which has the potential for life, is mixed with water and vinegar a reminder of the crucifixion. This egg and pigment mixture petrifies and becomes everlasting. The pigments have a death to life quality and are wherever possible, naturally occurring, either washed or baked clays, powdered stone and decayed metals.

The whole process of writing an icon is a theological journey, from the bare board of the crucifixion to the luminous colours of the resurrection