ICON AS ART OR MEANS TO MEDITATION

A hand painted religious icon in the Byzantine tradition makes a unique and meaningful gift adding a richness to any home or church setting. The icon can serve as a focal point for prayer and meditation or simply add a vibrant decorative touch to any environment. An icon is a possession that will be passed down to the next generation retaining its artistic and devotional value.

ICON AS GIFT

• Hand-painted icons have been given for the following occasions:
• Memorial in a church setting
• Graduation from seminary
• Retirement of pastor of priest
• Special anniversary
• For one’s own personal devotion

SACRED FIGURES

• Any saint or religious figure can be depicted, for example:
• Jesus Christ the All-Powerful
• King David
• Archangel Michael and Archangel Gabriel
• Virgin Mary and Child (there are 10 versions available)
• St. Francis
• Mary Magdalene

  CREATING AN ICON

There are two major tasks for the iconographer:

1. Preparing the panel: A process taking many days involves preparing high quality wood panel with successive layers of gesso, allowing each layer to dry and then sanding it to a smooth finish.

2. Painting the icon: After the sacred figure or Feast Day is decided up on, the iconographer researches the available icons of that subject, then chooses one to be used as a reference, The icon design is then transferred to the panel. Using acrylic paint the iconographer proceeds to paint or to “write” the icon. Finally, 23-carat gold is applied to the halo. The icon is then finished with a protective seal and wired for hanging.

COMMISSIONING AN ICON

PRICES
Devotional Sizes: for depicting an individual sacred figure
8” x 10” $450.
10” x 12” $475.
12” x 12” $500.

Festival Sizes: for a Feast Day or a larger version of a sacred figure
18” x 24” $1825.
21” x 24” $19$0.
22” x 30” $2450.

Payment of 1/3 of the total price is due at the beginning and the remainder when the completed icon is delivered. Depending on the size requested, allow several weeks to several months for delivery.

Please contact the artist for methods of payment.

 

THE ARTIST

SUZANNE ZOOLE has been painting icons for over 10 years. She has studied with Phillip Zimmerman, Vladyslav Andreyev and Louise Shipps.

Her largest body of work can be viewed at the Parish Life Center, Episcopal Church of the Advent, Spartanburg, SC. The following refer to the seven large icons exhibited there:

“Your magnificent icons have breathed life into stone!! But. . . left us breathless!”
Pat Jennings, Artist

“Never have I seen more beautiful icons than those you produced for Advent Church’s new building. . . . I knew you were wonderfully talented, but your icons overwhelmed me.”
Dr. John Bullard, Professor Emeritus of Religion College

 

ICONS FEATURED IN PUBLICATIONS

• “Icon Writing as Sacrament” Crosswalk, Christmas 2008, writer and artist

• "Windows to Heaven" Agnes Scott: The Magazine, Fall 2003

• Icon artist paints "windows into heaven" Spartanburg Herald Journal, March 16, 2002

• "Icons and Prayer" Pentacost 2001 Episcopal Church in the Visual Arts (ecva.org), on-line exhibition

• "An echo of God's mystery" episcopallife, October 2001

• "Icons: Windows into Heaven" Crosswalk, Episcopal Diocese of Upper SC, December 2000

• "Artist Develops Inner World" Spartanburg Herald Journal, Sept 17, 2000

PLEASE CONTACT THE ARTIST FOR MORE INFORMATION