LATEST TESTIMONIALS OF OUR CLIENTS AND STUDENTS

Icon Painting Workshops in Australia (January 2019):

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26/01/2018

Phillip and Olga, what can i say. What a fortnight!!!! I lost my focus at the end so i must remember that and not try to do two weeks. I loved every minute of it and have no criticism at all, nothing bad to say only that we are so lucky to be able to have such wonderful teachers willing to patiently and so gently instruct us over and over again...sometimes i wonder at your patience.

The only suggestion I have for future planning is that maybe it would be easier to maintain focus of building an image if it came to completion....on a board......it would be my wish. It could be a very small board , with a very simple image, in a Fra Angelico simplistic style.......but i love everything you have ever done so my suggestions are merely musings...i have learned so much via your instructions that i do not feel qualified to put forward suggestions. I am at **** of gentle and friendly and very patient masters.
Love always.

L.*

Icon Painting Workshop in Wesley (August 2018):

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11/08/2018

Thank you for such a wonderful week of learning!!!! I just loved all the art making, the aesthetics & history. My brain feels truly stretched and grown! I would be pleased to have you share the photo! Funny, I realized as I was finishing that I made the same mistake with the alignment of the eyes in the miniature as I originally made on the panel!

S.*

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13/08/2018

Hello Philip,

Thank you for the wonderful workshop. I enjoyed it very much and learned so much in just three days! It was great to hear about the theory behind Iconography and different artists' approaches. I was really glad I chose your workshop. I appreciate your art and dedication to this sacred art form.

Thanks again and God bless.
C.*

Icon Drawing Workshops in Melbourne (January 2018):

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19/02/2018

Dear Phillip & Olga,

Glad you have reached home safely.

I'm very happy for you to publish any of the photographs, and also thank you for the ones you have sent to me, they are very much appreciated, just love the group photo.

The very next day I began painting a new Icon...so the process continues.

Once again I can't thank you and Olga enough for such a wonderful five days, and thank you for shareing your knowledge and experience so generously. I hope that I may be fortunate enough to participate in another workshop in the future.

In the meantime...God bless and take care. Warmest wishes and regards,

T*

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04/02/2018

Dear Phillip and Olga,

Thank you both so much for such a richly rewarding workshop, on so many levels. I learnt so much even though I know we were scratching the surface so to speak.

The lectures were so informative and very deep in content, once again, I was thrilled to be able to listen to your expert knowledge.
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I hope your trip home was good for you both.
I am looking forward to making another icon soon. I have been producing Religious sculptures for last four years but I found this work to be very helpful in every way.

A million thanks.

C*

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29/01/2018

Hi Philip,

I was looking at my work from the last two weeks and realised what a well sequenced program Olga had put together for us. Please than her for me. She is a talented and patient teacher and a gifted artist. ( no doubt you taught her all she knows!)
Many thanks for all that you both taught me over the last two weeks.
Regards
M*

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28/01/2018

Dear Olga and Philip

I would like to thank you both again for the workshop last week.
Once more it was most stimulating to get back to the basic principles of design and graphics and of course managing the magic medium of tempera. You are both excellent teachers with exacting standards reflecting the importance of Art as another language as well as the Russian Education system.
I trust you are enjoying our warm weather, cultural interests and laugh at our peculiarities.
God bless you and keep you both. B*H*

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Dear Philip and Olga

I just wanted to thank you both once more for the tremendous and overwhelmingly generous teaching you gave us all this last fortnight. I find it so inspiring and useful for all my artwork not just icon painting. I remember you both often during the year and refer many times to the copious notes I have written and the many photos. But above all, I remember your spirit, vision and encouragement.
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You ask for suggestions: I am content to learn whatever topics you think we need at the time. My only suggestion are the hours.
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I would be most willing to pay the same fees but for less hours even if the quantity of topics covered is reduced. I shall continue to attend at the current hours at future workshops providing health and finances allow etc!

My thanks again to you both. Every good wish and blessing to you and your family for the year.
Regards, I*A*

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Dear Philip and Olga,

Thank for the workshop this past week. I thoroughly enjoyed it, was challenged by it and learnt even more!
Could you please send me a photo of St Anastasia with the final highlights?
I hope all goes well this coming week with the next course. Thank you for the dishes and pestle!
God bless you both, along with your families.
In Christ,
R*

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19/01/2018

Dear Philip and Olga

Just to express my thought specifically...
I would like to thank you again for a wonderful workshop. Contrary to what you thought I thought there was a tremendous amount of content in one week...but not to the point of overwhelming.
I don't think I've ever attended, (and I am a "life long learner" and have probably attended over fifty workshops in the last twenty years - no exaggeration), such an information-rich, well resourced and sensitively paced workshop.
You were both so attentive and caring of your students. The atmosphere you both created was calm and reassuring which is a rare quality in a workshop. What I learned has given me a great creative start to the year.
Thank you both again and kind regards

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Iconography Workshop in Auckland (6-10 January 2018)

19/01/2018

Hello Philip.

Sorry in the delay in writing. Things got hectic when we returned home.

I thoroughly enjoyed the icon painting course. I learnt so much and filled in some gaps. I will certainly carry on painting on an easel as opposed to flat on the table top!
I really appreciated your work on my icon especially on the morning I was ill. Thank you. I also appreciated how you worked with us and respected what we had done - even if it was wrong!
You have certainly given me the momentum to carry on writing icons. It's often hard when one works in isolation. However, the possibility of another course in the future is further motivation.
Thank you again for a wonderful five days.

Kindest Regards,
A*
Advanced Icon Workshop in Melbourne (23-28 January 2017)



09/02/2017

Dear Olga and Philip

Thank you for the photos – they look really good, especially the ones on Flickr. By the way, here is a link to my Flickr photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/110337459@N08/

Your email reminds me that you asked for comment on the workshop, so here are some quick thoughts. I have written it as a kind of testimonial in case you want to use it for promotions. I think the teaching style with movement from lecture to demonstration to doing with personal instruction is exactly right. It was good having Olga demonstrating. It worked really well hearing her explain in Russian and Philip translating – more comfortable for everyone. Learning from Philip and Olga is stimulating, enriching and challenging. This was not my first workshop, nevertheless the sessions were still fresh. We were fed with a constant flow of helpful insights – so exciting. So what was challenging? Well when you have been painting for 13 years, especially when a group of people look to you to teach this ancient craft, it comes as a shock to be corrected by your teacher all the time. Following instructions and unlearning old habits is hard. But it was worthwhile because I experienced two important things. Correction is always given by Olga and Philip so generously and lovingly. Secondly and very importantly, I think I did learn new skills that will improve by painting. It seemed to me that each of us in the class was being taken to his or her next level of competence.

Since the workshop I have had three days of teaching and I have had made some radical changes to the way our Icon School begins to teach new members to paint their first icon. We have 7 new members this semester.

Thanks again for a wonderful week. Hope you enjoyed Sydney.

Very warm regards
P*.

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See earlier testimonials here: