SPRING:
 
2 Summer (2012) Iconography Courses
at The Australian Catholic University (ACU)ART SPACE -
26 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne
1st Course: Sunday 15thJanuary - Saturday 21st January - 2012
2nd Course: Sunday 22nd January - Saturday 28th January 2012
Teacher: Philip Davydov, Head of the Sacred Murals Studio
Course times: 9.00am - 6.00pm consecutive days - Monday to Saturday. Courses will commence at 17-00 on Sundays 15th and 22nd Jan.
Payment options:
Tuition Payment for the either Course is as follows: Deposit fee of $100 is required to secure a place in either Course. $50 non-refundable booking fee is included in the deposit.
FULL PAYMENT OPTIONS:
If full payment is made before 1st November-2011 Course fee - $620
If full payment is made before 1st December -2011 Course fee - $680
If full payment is made after 1st December - 2011 Course fee - $730
Register and pay the deposit for the Iconography Workshop in Melbourne, January 2012 >>
For details regarding REGISTRATION and PAYMENT and other enquiries please contact Margaret Broadbent: mabs99@hotmail.com Phone:61 03 9555 5498
Iconography Workshop Description:
The Course is dedicated to the Old Masters method of creating a work of art. This approach takes into account the artistic methods employed by Medieval Iconographers as well as refined, Classical Renaissance goals and principles developed by the Great Masters.
Who should attend: The courses are beneficial for beginning students as well as for advanced iconographers and anyone drawn to practical and theoretical study of Byzantine and Early Russian Painting.
The workshop description: We teach participants to pay most attention to the content of the image, we do not teach how to clone the old forms. Practically, the workshops are dedicated to the proccesses used by medieval iconographers, and in general - Old Master methods of creating a work of sacred art.
This approach takes into account the artistic techniques employed by Medieval Iconographers as well as refined, Classical Renaissance goals and principles developed by the Great Masters.
Each student will be presented with a white-gessoed board, brushes and other instruments and materials kit. Every workshop participant will experience step by step instructions to start and complete an icon according to the traditional egg tempera method. All materials will be provided by the instructor. Daily presentations will include discussions of the development of iconography, the spirituality of creating an icon, and praying with icons.
Every session will begin with prayer.
Our iconography courses are the only ones in Australia, where students are encouraged to make free hand drawings without tracing paper or any other copying tools. This approach allows the iconographer/ participant greater responsibility for the resulting icon and also gives the iconographer more possibilities for individual variations - as we can see was also true among the iconographers creating sacred images during Medieval times. The instructors will help students who need assistance in drawing the image.
Each course will last six and a half very intense consecutive days, beginning on Sunday at 14.30 and finishing at about 17.00 Saturday. Most of the time will be dedicated to practical exercises, which will be supplemented by theoretical lectures with slideshows.
Iconography Workshops January 2012 - New features: In August 2011 we have carefully analized our current workshop schedule and in this coming workshop in Melbourne we decided to change some principles of our teaching schedule.
First, - we changed the timetable, and this time we start both workshops on Sunday afternoon, all the other days start at 9.00 and end at 18.00, the same for the last workshop day - Saturday.
Our previous programs were targeted in such a way, that the instructor was writing (painting) the same icon together the students step-by-step. That method had good results (as we see it on our students icons, made after the courses), but now we see, that sometimes it was too tough for our students.
While developing our own painting methods we discovered, that it helps a lot if we spend more time for the preparation and for the initial stage of the working process i.e. We more carefully plan the future image and make the drawing for it.
Keeping in mind these two aspects, for the Iconography Courses in Melbourne we have chosen two models - two images of the Holy Virgin Mary, - IX-th century mosaic from Hagia Sofia, Constantinople, and XIII century icon from Mount Sinai. We have chosen these particular images from all the available heritage of Medieval Christian art because, being classical works of spiritual art, they are also among the most deep, beautiful and well-preserved Christian medieval images of all times.
This time we plan to dedicate more time to the drawing and modelling the form. Besides, at the January 2012 workshops we plan to demonstrate and practice with students our individual technique of sketching. We introduce this new feature because it gives more freedom in studies and researches to find the best composition and color solution before we start doing responsible work on the board. This "sketching" schedule allows to get at the same time more seriously studied and more creative final results. Besides, it helps to save time, because we can start working when the board and gesso are not ready for painting yet.
We are absolutely sure, these new excersises will give our students much help to feel much more trained and self-confident, while working on their icons.
Practical matters: Writing an icon is taught to be done in a totally focused and concentrated way. It is very important to go slowly at all times, living and understanding each of the steps deeply in our being. The students are encouraged to come to class each day with a refreshed, open mind and heart.
We emphasize, that this method is not a craftsman's practice which supposedly guarantees good results. Rather our approach aims to give students a professional attitude which can be used for almost any kind of traditional painting. Running parallel to the daily practical sessions will be the incorporation of short, theoretical discussions on Iconography: History, Theology and artistic, technical concerns. Previous experience is not required but any art background can be very helpful.
All students are encouraged to take notes during teacher-demonstrations and ask questions for clarification. Students are advised to bring photographs of their icons, previously painted (if any). The needs and questions of each student will be taken into account.
Each day, the instructor will distribute color photocopies of the individual steps to be used in painting the icon. Workshop schedule: each day (except for the first one) the workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m., break for lunch at about 12.30 , resume at 13.30 , and finish at 6:00 p.m.
There will also be short breaks during the day. This is a rigorous schedule, so plan on getting plenty of rest each night. If you are arriving from outside the area, we recommend that you arrive early the day before the workshop begins to get a good night's sleep, so that you are refreshed on Sunday Afternoon.
(See some housing variants at the bottom of the page)
What the student will be taught during the Iconography Course:
1. to define the basic forms through free-hand painting techniques
2. to understand methods of mixing and applying egg-tempera emulsion
3. to use basic colors to create shadows and highlights
4. will see a demonstration of water gilding, also called bole-gilding and will be shown the technique of final surface gilding called “assist”
5. will practice oil gilding
6. will learn to control the finer highlights
7. will practice writing proper lettering on the icon
8. and will be given recommendations on how to varnish the completed Icon at home, once the paint dries up.
About the Instructor: Philip Davydov is a professional, second generation iconographer with more than 15 years of experience. He is currently a lecturer and scientific secretary at the Institute of Theology and Sacred Arts and head of Sacred Murals Studio in St. Petersburg, Russia. Philip’s goal and the goal of his Studio is to create icons and murals in the Christian tradition, while being inspired by contemporary works of Christian sacred art.
In fact, Philip attempts to work in the same spirit as the long line of his predecessors, the Christian craftsmen did. It is vitally important for him and his co-workers to study the best prototypes of iconography, to follow traditional Church canons and thus perpetuate traditional techniques and materials of our medieval colleagues, keeping alive a tradition that is nearly two millennia old. Philip shares this creative and responsible approach as well as his own experience and professional discoveries with his students at his Workshops.
Possibilities for housing:
BACKPACKERS THE NUNNERY ( Lodge)
Ask for: Guesthouse Section
116 Nicholson Street, Fitzroy
phone : 03 9419 8637 or 1800 032 635
*********************
North Fitzroy Homestay (B&B) 45 St.Georges Rd. Close to Brunswick St. tram. Phone: 03 9489 9661 Website: www.northfitzroyhomestay.com.au Email bookings: bookings@northfitzroyhomestay.com.au **********************
Glowery House 132 Nicholson Street Fitzroy Phone: 03 9417 3379 ********************** Metropole Hotel and Apartments & Conference Centre 44 Brunswick St. 03 9411 8100 or 1800 061 441 Web-site: www.metropole.org
Email: reservations@metropole.org Register and pay the deposit for the Iconography Workshop in Melbourne, January 2012 >>
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Model for the workshops - Icon of Saint Archangel Michael,
XII - early XIII century .
Monastery of Saint Catherine On Mount Sinai.
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Model for the workshops - contemporary icon
of Saint Archangel Michael.
Painted for the icon-writing (icon-painting) process demonstration.
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Icon Writing (Painting) Workshop/Retreat Using the Traditional Egg Tempera Method
Philip Davydov, Master Iconographer, head of the Sacred Murals Studio in St. Petersbug, Russia will offer a week-long icon writing (painting) workshop at the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Monastery in Jordanville, New York, and at Trinity Epicopal Church, St. Mary's Parish, St. Mary's City, Maryland (see descriptions below).
Each workshop participant will experience the following: step by step instructions to start and complete an icon according to the traditional egg tempera method. All materials will be provided by the instructor. Daily presentations will include discussions of the development of iconography, the spirituality of creating an icon, and praying with icons. Every session will begin with prayer.
Locations:
1). Jordanville, NY (area of Utica), USA 25 - 30 July 2011
  
The location of this workshop is the Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, New York. The seminary is located near New York's historic Mohawk Valley, one mile north of the village of Jordanville, within a triangle formed by Cooperstown (Baseball Hall of Fame, Fenimore House Museums in the midst of James Fenimore Cooper country, approx. 14 miles away), Utica (approx. 25 miles away) , and Albany (92 miles away) . Lodging is available at the monastery at low rates - http://www.jordanville.org/guesthouse.html ($20 per person per night) or in motels along truck route 20 in the area of Richfield Springs, N.Y. which is 6 miles from the monastery. Staying near the monastery gives the participant more opportunities to study the beautiful iconography in the main church, in the cemetery church, when it is open, and the iconic wall paintings in the men’s and guest dining rooms, many of which were painted by Archimandrite Kiprian Pyzhov (1904 - 2001).
Visitor information and driving directions >>
Web-site of Jordanville Shuttle transportation >>
2). St. Mary's City, MD (Washington area), USA 01 - 06 of August 2011
    
Saint Mary’s City is the Colonial Capital of Maryland, the fourth English settlement in America. Slightly less than a two hour drive from Washington, DC and Baltimore, St. Mary’s City is located in Southern Maryland, a scenic peninsula boarded on the east by the Potomac River and on the west by the Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River. Trinity Episcopal Church and its neighbors, St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary’s City Outdoor Museum, overlook St. Mary’s River. Workshop participants may choose to stay in student housing at St. Mary’s College for $85 per night (which includes the cost of all three meals), or there are several nearby Bed & Breakfast establishments and hotels in Lexington Park. For more information, please contact Fr. John Ball (jab@olg.com) or at 240-925-0752.
Visitor Information and driving directions >>
Payment options:
If registered before the 1-st of March 2011 - $500
If registered before the 1-st of June 2011 - $550
If registered after the 1-st of June and before the 1-st of July 2011 - $620
(Payment in full is due upon registration)
Register & Pay For A Workshop >>
Workshop description:
Who should attend: The iconography workshops are beneficial for beginning students as well as for advanced iconographers and anyone drawn to practical and theoretical study of Byzantine and Early Russian Painting.
The workshop description: We teach participants to pay most attention to the content of the image, we do not teach how to clone the old forms. Practically, the workshops are dedicated to the proccesses used by medieval iconographers, and in general - Old Master methods of creating a work of sacred art. This approach takes into account the artistic techniques employed by Medieval Iconographers as well as refined, Classical Renaissance goals and principles developed by the Great Masters.
Photographs of our last workshops can be seen in our gallery >>,
besides, we made a new page for the students responses >>.
Our workshops are the only ones in the US, where students are encouraged to make free hand drawings without tracing paper or any other copying tools. This approach allows the iconographer/ participant greater responsibility for the resulting icon and also gives the iconographer more possibilities for individual variations - as we can see was also true among the iconographers creating sacred images during Medieval times.
The instructors will help students who need assistance in drawing the image. Each workshop will last five and a half very intense consecutive days, beginning on Monday morning promptly at 9 A.M. and finishing at about 2 P.M. Saturday. Most of the time will be dedicated to practical exercises, which will be supplemented by theoretical lectures with slideshows.
The icon of the Archangel Gabriel (13-th century) was selected as the prototype for the course from all the available heritage of Medieval Christian art. The reason we have chosen this image is because it is actually one of the most beautiful and well-preserved medieval icons. Each student will be presented with a prepared gesso-covered wooden board and a kit containing all the necessary materials to complete the icon. Then the student will be led into the traditional process of icon-writing, step by step, with the help of teacher-demonstrations.
What the student will be taught during the workshop:
1. to define the basic forms through free-hand painting techniques
2. to understand methods of mixing and applying egg-tempera emulsion
3. to use basic colors to create shadows and highlights
4. will see a demonstration of water gilding, also called bole-gilding and will be shown the technique of final surface gilding called “assist”
5. will practice oil gilding 6. will learn to control the finer highlights
7. will practice writing proper lettering on the icon
8. and will be given recommendations on how to varnish the completed Icon, once the paint has cured at home.
Writing an icon is taught to be done in a totally focused and concentrated way. It is very important to go slowly at all times, living and understanding each of the steps deeply in our being. The students are encouraged to come to class each day with a refreshed, open mind and heart. We emphasize, that this method is not a craftsman's practice which supposedly guarantees good results. Rather our approach aims to give students a professional attitude which can be used for almost any kind of traditional painting. Running parallel to the daily, practical sessions will be the incorporation of short, theoretical talks on Iconography: History, Theology and artistic, technical concerns. Previous experience is not required but any art background can be very helpful. All students are encouraged to take notes during teacher-demonstrations and ask questions for clarification. Students are advised to bring photographs of their icons, previously painted (if any). The needs and questions of each student will be taken into account. Each day, the instructor will distribute color photocopies of the individual steps to be used in painting the icon.
Workshop schedule: each day the workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m., break for lunch at 12:30 p.m., resume at 1:30 p.m., and finish at 5:00 p.m. There will also be short breaks during the day. This is a rigorous schedule, so plan on getting plenty of rest each night.
If you are arriving from outside the area, we recommend that you arrive early the day before the workshop begins to get a good night's sleep, so that you are refreshed on Monday morning.
About the Instructor: Philip Davydov is a professional, second generation iconographer with more than 15 years of experience. He is currently a lecturer and scientific secretary at the Institute of Theology and Sacred Arts and head of Sacred Murals Studio in St. Petersburg, Russia. Philip’s goal and the goal of his Studio is to create icons and murals in the Christian tradition, while being inspired by contemporary works of Christian sacred art. In fact, Philip attempts to work in the same spirit as the long line of his predecessors, the Christian craftsmen did. It is vitally important for him and his co-workers to study the best prototypes of iconography, to follow traditional Church canons and thus perpetuate traditional techniques and materials of our medieval colleagues, keeping alive a tradition that is nearly two millennia old.
Philip shares this creative and responsible approach as well as his own experience and professional discoveries with his students at his Workshops.
See the photographs of iconography workshops, taught in March 2010 in Melbourne (Australia) Jordanville, Seattle and Sant Fe, and some other photographs from different earlier iconography and truefreco workshops in Australia, Russia and the USA.
Most of Sacred Murals Studio icons and frescoes can be seen at this web-site - www.sacredmurals.com
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