April Studio Updates
New Interview, Available Work, and Work in Progress
New Interview!
I had a great time talking with Kyle of Barrel Aged Faith a couple months ago. If you haven’t given it a listen, check it out!
A friend of mine reached out in response to a part of the interview with something very insightful:
I had an experience as a boy—a real sense of being drawn toward God to the work of shepherding. There is only one, as my friend put it, institutional expression of “shepherding” in the Baptist world: the pastor/minister. But in the Orthodox faith, there are several institutional expressions of shepherding. Although I did not make this connection in the interview, I very much see that calling being fulfilled in my present vocation as an iconographer.
As I’m sure many of you have read, I’ve found it increasingly important to champion the organic icon against both reproductions and artificially generated images. Both of the latter technologies dehumanize the vocation of the iconographer, replacing them with cheap imitations that do not satisfy the need for our eyes to be properly shepherded. Replacing the congregation/choir with a CD player, and the priest with a robot, are the logical steps that follow the discarding of the iconographer. It’s not a future any of us should desire for ourselves nor our children, and the resistance to such a potential future begins now.
Founding Members & Annual Subscribers
I’m thankful to have acquired several new Founding Members over the last couple of months. I still have room for anyone interested. The entire point of this publication is to get real icons into your hands, and this is probably the most affordable means available anywhere on this side of the globe.
All paid subscribers get a 15% discount on commissions and studio work as well, whether Founding Member or Annual subscriber. The Annual option is great if all you want is to offer some support or want a discount locked in for anything in the studio that becomes available.
I will be keeping most of my writing free. There are a few, like the recent Movement of Light article, that are exclusive. But the emphasis of this publication, again, is to make it easier for more folks to acquire organic icons. This is why the monthly cost is so high. I don’t want anyone to subscribe at that level because it doesn’t provide much for you or for me.
Available Studio Work
I currently only have three studio works available, listed below. Click on the button below each image to purchase from my website. If you’re a Founding Member or Annual Subscriber, shoot me a message and I’ll get you a discount code for my website.
Icons and Longform Posts in Progress
If you’re not using the Substack app, or reading via website, you probably are not aware that I share Notes concerning the icons I’m working on and longform posts that are in progress. Here’s a few of those highlights:
The Art Spirit has become very important to me. Both a great comfort for the common artist ailments, as well as inspiration for some longform writing & older ways of being an artist (i.e. more notetaking and documentation).
I’m working on a series of the Stations of the Cross (JPII Scriptural version) for an Anglican parish. I’m currently preparing panels and working on sketches for that project. Painting the actual panels will begin very soon.
Beyond these, I’m also working on some designs for a set of icons including: Theotokos, Star of the Sea; Edith Stein; Therese of Liseux; John Paul II; Teresa of Calcutta; St Vitus; and St Theodore the Recruit.
Thank you so much for reading & buying!
Here’s a little improvised haiku my oldest son recently shared at the dinner table:
