These
icons
are
not
my
creations.
And,
in
another
sense,
they
are.
The
creating
of
them
is
a
collaboration,
through
the
centuries,
with
other
iconographers,
who
have
carried
on
the
holy
language
of
painting
scripture.
This
collaboration
can
be
likened
to
how
we
respond
to
recipes.
If
you
and
I
were
given
a
chocolate
cake
recipe,
the
end
result
would
be
similar
in
general
but
also
have
differences.
That
is
how
the
Holy
Spirit
works
in
the
“writing”
of
His
word
into
the
icon.
God
works
uniquely
in
each
Holy image.
Painting
or
“writing”
icons
was
an
artistic
journey
for
me
to
begin
with.
Five
years
of
formal
art
education
in
my
hometown
of
Ottawa
Canada
and
a
lifetime
of
searching
different
avenues
of
creativity
had
left
me
feeling
bewildered
about
ever
finding
my
true
art
expression.
Although
each
project
I
completed
added
valuable
experience,
none
of
the
styles
or
subjects
ever
gave
me
the
creative
joy
and
peace
I
was
longing
for.
Only
when
I
was
at
an
extremely
low
point
in
my
life
did
God
introduce
me
to
a
woman
who
was
leading
an
icon
group
weekly
at
her
Church.
Even
though
I
didn’t
understand
or
even
like
icons,
I
reasoned
with
myself
that
I
had
tried
so many other art forms, why not try this too?
Then,
unexpectedly,
my
artistic
journey
merged
with
my
spiritual
one.
Much
of
my
classical
art
training
got
politely
placed
aside
by
the
instructor.
I
was
in
foreign
land
where
painting
was
not
only
painting
but
“writing”
God’s
word
into
image.
Icon
means
image
in
Greek.
In
iconography,
perspective
is
reversed
and
light
comes
from
within
the
subject
instead
of
shining
on
it!
I
was
intrigued
to
discover
the
art
form
was
not
about
MY
personal
creativity
but
rather
one
of
surrender
to
an
ancient
language
that
would,
if
I
listened
to
the
Holy
Spirit,
encourage
and
strengthen
me
in
my spiritual journey.
A
year
after
I
started,
I
became
frustrated
with
trying
to
be
obedient
to
so
many
rules
and
wondered
if
icons
might
after
all
be
graven
images.
However,
when
I
stopped
the
work
for
awhile,
a
desire
to
keep
learning
their
language
burned
inside
me.
I
finally
understood
and
accepted
that
to
be
an
iconographer
is
a
calling.
There
is
deep joy in answering the call.
In
this
age
of
high
tech
and
instant
images,
most
people
can’t
comprehend
the
slow
methodical
process
of
icon
painting.
It
is
a
form
of
prayer,
contemplation,
and
fasting
from
worldly
art.
The
Word
becomes
image
and
quietly
speaks
to
listening
hearts.
Holy
icons
are
considered
aids
to
prayer
as
photos
are
an
aid
to
remember
loved
ones.
We
may
even
kiss
a
photo
of
a
loved
one
to
show
our
reverence.
If
effect,
we
are
not
just
looking
AT
the
photo,
but
BEYOND
it
to
the
person
we
are
remembering
So
while
some
doubters
of
the
value
of
iconography
say
that
people
pray
TO
and
therefore
worship
them.
Now
I
understand
that
instead
of
praying
TO
the
icons,
believers
are
praying
THROUGH
the
icon
“window
into
Heaven”
to
the
spiritual
realm.
I
no
longer
wonder
if
icons
are
graven
images.
Now
I
see
them
as
images
of
God’s
Grace!
While
I
have
worked
on
them,
they
have
worked
on
me,
taken
me
places
I
never
would
have
imagined,
and
I
see
them
now
as
visual
journals
of
my
spiritual
travels.
I
encourage
you
to
participate
in
this
journey,
encountering
the
icon
in
a
new
way,
and
share your experience with others.
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