The annual change in the weather, from Summer to Autumn that moves swiftly to Winter, is definitely much warmer the past few years.  The change isn't nearly as abrupt as in years past!  Though my icon studio is on the second floor of my carriage house, and there is hydroponic heat in the concrete floor so it's always warm in the winter, it's a lovely change to not have to put on extra layers - and my fingers don't get cold!
I'll try to post some photos of my latest icon, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross, in my next set of comments.

Icon progress notes

As I work on an icon (or two, or three, or more) I shoot photos as the work moves through the various stages from preliminary drawing ideas (it's so much easier to fix mistakes on paper than during painting!), to under painting, to gilding and final details like the lettering on the icons.

Nearly the end of October 2016!  I think there's a time warp out there that I walked into!  I've been very busy writing Christian Orthodox style icons in my studio, Holy Trinity Icon Studio.  You can see my icons, AND the super cool full color greeting cards - now available with genuine 24K GOLD LEAF gilding!

It took a bunch of experimentation to come up with the formula to make the gold leaf BOTH stick AND be brilliantly shiny!  But, I did it!  Follow the link to see what I mean. My ETSY web page   You can order on-line directly from me, the icon writer, and I can usually ship greeting cards in one or two days.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Icon of St. Elizabeth of Hungary

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, 12.5" x 10" x 1", egg tempera using natural pigments, 24K gold leaf, on genuine gessoed board with raised edge.  Note the Wartburg castle in the background - that was her own castle (!), her own coat of arms and the icon of the Virgin & Child on the walls.  This was presented as an ordination gift to Rev. Joy Gonnerman because she did her clergy internship under my supervision along with my colleague Rev. Judy Gustafson at the Kenyon Area Internship Committee (8 ELCA churches working in a co-op for this purpose.)

Icon of "The Holy Brothers Apostles - Andrew the First Called, and Peter the Rock" written in acrylics and 24K leaf on an edge glued board with oak reinforcing on the back, set in a hand made maple frame that is also gilded in 24K gold leaf, measuring ca. 18.5" x 14.5" x 5/8" (not counting the frame.)
The model for this icon is the original icon presented by Athenagoras the Patriarch of Constantinople to Pope Paul VI on the occasion of Paul's visit to the Holy Land.  You can find this image on the internet, and then note the unique details of my icon, i.e. the framing, lettering and colors I chose.  The square knot, crosses, and expanded lettering are unique.  This is not a copy, this is an original, and as such it's protected by copyright, as are all of my icons.  Email me or call for price and terms.

GUARDIAN ANGEL, done in egg tempera, natural earth pigments and 24K gold leaf, at St. Mary's Orthodox Cathedral school for iconography, NE Minneapolis, MN in October 2013.  The board is solid ash? imported from Russia measuring ca. 13" x 10" x 1 1/8" routed out and coated with marble dust gesso.  My instructor was Dimitri Andriev.  Est. time to write this icon is ca. 55 hours.  To get an idea of the price, call up your plumber or electrician and ask them how much a job lasting 55 hours will cost, then add ca. $200 for "parts" (gold, pigments, board, etc.) :-)   Then, call me or send me an email and we'll discuss terms - remember we have to allow for drying time so the total time from order to delivery is about six weeks.

This is a larger icon of The Annunciation, it measures ca. 20" x 16" x 1.25 " and is done on cherry plywood using acrylic paints.  Hopefully you can zoom in to see details.  The final lettering will be added when everything has dried some more, only the monograms of the Blessed Virgin Mary are in place right now.  Here the Archangel Gabriel greets Mary, who is holding her drop spindle in her left hand.  The red thread on it matches the canopy above her head, which symbolizes the veil in the temple.  I'm thinking I will integrate a silver "gilding" into the ray of light shining on Mary's head.  Everything is gilded in 24K gold leaf.

  So, another icon of the major liturgical events of the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is now ready.  To purchase this icon, or to commission one similar to it, please contact me for details and prices.