THE BIBLE THROUGH ICONS
Moses Receives the Law at Sinai.

This is the second of three icons of prophets in our Bible through Icons course. We explore the relationship of revelation and law in the life of Moses, and learn how it gives us the basis from which Jesus worked when he said 'Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the prophets, but to fulfill them' (Matthew 5 v.17).

Moses had many sides to his character - the slave turned prince 'learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians,' the nomad shepherd, and the national liberator who needed all his wits about him to lead his people to freedom.

This years icon is from the Sinai monastery and has the bold brushwork typical of Greek icons in Constantinople in the 11c. You walk between Moses and Elijah (both 5 1/2 ft. high), into the nave of the Sinai basilica. We look at the history of the Sinai and St. Catherine's monastery, and it's continuing importance in the faith journey of Israel and the Church.

THE TUTORS

Father Dyfrig Harris is a monk of Belmont Abbey who is also a bi-ritual priest - celebrating in the western rite at the Abbey and in Gloucester at the Ukrainian church - and iconographer. His riveting talks illumine the relation between Bible, Liturgy and and the icon. Sister Petra Clare has written icons for over twenty five years, and much of her work is on the cutting edge of introducing the tradition of iconography within western rite churches.

MOSES -WEEK 1: Scripture & Drawing- the Shape of Revelation

Those of you who went to the Byzantine exhibition at the RA last year will probably have been overwhelmed, as I was, with the sheer vigour and power of the brush technique of the Sinai icons, which enabled the iconographers to express the 'conviction of faith' which radiated from the icons. To write an icon you need to learn to draw with the brush. The icon of Moses receiving the law on Sinai offers ample opportunity to get over initial shyness by learning a technique which is loose and free flowing. The emphasis will be on tonal (greyscale) brush drawing to develop an understanding of shape and form, light and dark. We learn to 'write' the icon in bold sure strokes - just as Moses overcame his initial diffidence and boldly led the Israelites to the promised land. The emphasis will be on tonal (greyscale) brush drawing to develop an understanding of shape and form, light and dark.

MOSES - WEEK 2: Writing the Icon-the Colour of Conviction

This week begins with incising the icon design on the gessoed board, and a demonstration of colour and technique. After applying the flat base tones, we use a fairly dry brush to shape up the figure, moulding the colour in a vigorous sculptural way. Unlike last year's icon, the technique is broad and strong, which matches the power of a man who had the conviction to lead several hundred people across the desert. Each day starts with a prayerful meditation to start the day's painting, consolidated by lectures and slides in the evening.

n.b. the last two icons shown here are classic examples of this technique,
not products of this workshop