"St. Nicholas wonder-worker" for my brother Andrew.

I have finished to write (to paint) this icon before my trip to San Fransisco, but I did not have time to published this pfoto. This Icon in Minneapolis city, MN now.

Two St. Nikolas at once.

I started to make two St. Nikolas at once: one ( left) for my brother Andrew, the other one for me.
I prepared these panels in my husband’s wood shop by myself! Then I put 8 layers the gesso, then I transferred the representation of face on icon, image.
Tomorrow I’ll start GILDING the halo (nimbus) with 23 K. Gold leafs.

Andrei Rublev

Andrei Rublev (Russian: Андре́й Рублёв, also transliterated Andrey Rublyov, born in the 1360s, died 1427 or January 29, 1430) is considered to be the greatest medieval Russian painter of Orthodox icons and frescoes.

Biography

There is little information about his life. It is not known where he was born. Andrei Rublev probably lived in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra near Moscow under Nikon of Radonezh, who became hegumen after the death of Sergii Radonezhsky (1392).

The first mention of Rublev is in 1405 when he decorated icons and frescos for the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Moscow Kremlin in company with Theophanes the Greek and Prokhor of Gorodets. His name was the last of the list of masters as the junior both by rank and by age. Theophanes was an important Byzantine master who moved to Russia, and is considered to have trained Rublev.

Chronicles tell us that in 1408 he painted (together with Daniil Cherni) the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir and in 1425–1427 the Cathedral of St. Trinity in the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra. After Daniil's death Andrei came to Moscow's Andronikov Monastery where he painted his last work, the frescoes of the Savior Cathedral.

He is also believed to have painted at least one of the miniatures in the Khitrovo Gospels.

Icon, Diptych ,Triptych ,Iconostasion icon

An icon (from Greek eikōn, "image") is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from the Eastern Orthodox Church. In Eastern Christianity and other icon-painting Christian traditions, the icon is generally a flat panel painting depicting a holy being or object such as our Lord Jesus Christ, the most Holy Theotokos (Virgin Mary), patron Saints, Holy Angels, or the Holy Cross.

Diptychs

The word diptychs comes from Greek meaning "folding boards." It is two boards connected with a hinge. The word is used in the Church today to describe a type of icon or two kinds of lists. A diptych is a type of icon whereby two panels are joined together with a hinge, so that they may fold together for protection when traveling, and then be unfolded for veneration when one's destination has been reached. Such diptychs are also called "traveling icons". Most often, the images on the two panels will be Christ and the Theotokos.

Triptych

Is a type of icons which is divided into three sections, or three carved panels which are hinged together and folded. It is therefore a type of polyptych, the term for all multi-panel works; the diptych has two panels. The middle panel is the larger one and is flanked by two smaller, but related, works. While the root of the word is the ancient Greek "triptychos", the word arose into the medieval period from the name for an Ancient Roman writing tablet, which had two hinged panels flanking a central one.

Iconostasion icons

An iconostasis (also iconostas or icon screen) is a screen or wall which serves as a stable support for icons and marks the boundary between the nave and the altar or sanctuary. The term can also refer to a folding, portable set of icons. There has been historically and continues to be a vast range of styles for iconostases: Some are simply two icons of the Theotokos and the Lord; the most complex, cathedral icon screens have multiple tiers with many icons per tier. The iconostasis is perhaps the most distintive feature of Byzantine rite churches.

The Savior – golden hair

This Icon was rewritten from the original icon which is located at the Cathedral of Uspenskiy, Moscow Kremlin (13th century) . It belongs to a type of Christ-Pantocrator icons. Jesus Christ’s hair is golden and the green-golden cross is depicted at the background. Many features of this icon are decorated with medallions. This icon has many hidden symbols of the orthodox religion. The symbols on the sides of the icon deliver the meaning of the image.
Christ- Pantocrator is the central icon in many places from churches to houses. Many people pray to this icon before starting any deeds. When couples get married, they are blessed by this icon and icon of Virgin

ICON “Archangel Michael” 12,5x 9,5 in., poplar wood ,gesso, egg tempera, 23k Gold Leaf ,

I have finished writing an Icon of Archangel Michael.

Who is Archangel Michael?

The Archangel Michael is viewed by all three major religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam as being the greatest of all the Angels. The name Michael translates to “He who is as God.” Michael is considered to be Chief of the Archangels, prince of presence and the Angel of righteousness, mersy sanctification and ruler of the seventh heaven.
Michael is most noted as protector of both the living and dead given the role psychopomp “soul conductor” since the days of captivity.
Most commonly rendered as winged with sword unsheathed and as a warrior of God and slayer of Satan, divine order triumphant over the chaos of darkness.

My first lesson writing an Icon ( Icon painting) (1,2,3,4,5,6 steps) not finished yet !

At the Easter Day in the St.Gregory Orthodox Church I have met the beautiful artist Olga ( her web-site: http://studio.poloukhine.com )
This lady has classes of “Writing an Icon” at her studio in LaGrangeville, New York.
And, of course, this is exactly what I did not have in my life! I am an artist and I am the Russian Orthodox.
So I started to study step by step how to paint the Icon like it was long time ago……

My new teacher Olga says: “It is through iconography that prayer is brought into the visual world. The iconographer "writes" with the discipline of theological expression, from within an established tradition, imparting his or her personal imprint on a tradition which is received and understood by an entire community. Icons are used in prayer both at home and in church, where each image has its proper place and function. It is a meeting place between heaven and earth, a window through which the beholder contemplates the Kingdom of God.”

This is a photo of my first step: cedar gessoed wood board 9,5"x12,5" ,sanded surfase with transfered
pattern of archangel Michael.

Writing an Icon ( Icon painting) steps 2,3, 4, 5, 6