Writing an Icon

I signed up for a 4 day retreat to begin to learn how to write an Icon.  The instructor was Brenda Fox - a well known Iconographer (internationally) who teaches retreats and is also board certified in Art Therapy so she is really good at helping people who don't have any experience!  On the first day, we began our work at by the end of the time we had traced our Icon image onto the "plate", which is a solid wood with a wash of off-white and yellow acrylic paint.  

You can probably detect my pencil drawn border (lower left seems strongest).  You'll see why later in the process. At the end of the second day we had reached this stage:

When you write an Icon, you are silent and you pray.  We had different prayers although Brenda suggested a couple of "breath prayers" for us such as "Come, Lord Jesus".  I used the time to pray for the people I have promised to pray for, including myself.  End of the 3rd day we were here:

There is a lot of symbolism in Icons.  I believe we all know that Jesus was the "Good Shepard" and that we are the lost/found lamb.  But did you know that the red robe symbolized his "royalty" and the green highlights (folds and places where his skin might touch the robe such as the elbows) are green, which is the color for humanity.  I can tell you that the Sankir based paint we used for Jesus' skin has at least 15 layers of paint.  It took a long time!  At the end of the 4th day, we were finished our Icon and were exuberant (although very tired!).  

I know this has been a long post, but the last thing I need to say is that I have had the most wonderful sense of peace, and it has stayed with  me a week now.  I hope it will last forever, as I feel so changed and different!  So, "may the peace that passeth all understand be with you".