Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Churchdown, Nr. Cheltenham.

This commission was for a new Church. The priest and parish felt that the brick architectural feature behind the altar needed a devotional focus. which would complement the architect’s design. As the church is bold and angular, I suggested a bold circle. In icons of the Ascension, the Lord ascends to heaven in a mandorla of three blue tones. This represents the glorified Body drawn into union with the pre-existent Trinity, beyond our comprehension in heaven. When the parishioners partake of the Body of Christ, they are, by the icon behind - so similar in shape to the consecrated Host they have just received - invited to contemplate more deeply the mystery of the Eucharist.

National Shrine of St. Andrew, St. Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Edinburgh.

The national devotion of the Scots to St. Andrew has it’s roots deep in the history of the country. The relics of St. Andrew were present in Scotland before the 6th. century, but the shrine was destroyed in 1559. When the Catholic hierarchy was restored, relics were again brought to Scotland and are housed under the altar of St. Andrew’s chapel in the Cathedral ( above). The shrine originally had a dark painted wood statue which was lost in the dark panelled woodwork. The large icon hangs from the roof behind the altar ( it cannot be attached to the wall because there is a door behind) and has burnished and punched goldwork to give extra radiance. The text is written in Latin, Gaelic and English.

St. Anthony’s Church, Edgeware, London

This was a millenium commission. The Church is a large 1930’s building, and the icon replaced a rather unsuccessful statue of the madonna standing on an altar. The parishioners have a strong devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour and participate in the rosary before daily Mass. The chapel was originally square with a curved wall at the back. This was utilised by prefabricating a semi-conch. A rather ugly recessed light fitting was replaced with a star shaped translucent glass, inspired by the crypt of the nativity at Bethlehem, complemented by a gold star ceiling with the ‘Alma Redemptoris’ antiphon around the edge. The slight curve of the wall necessitated very light painting in the face to counteract the shadow.

Cambridge University Chaplaincy

The original intention was for the cross to be carried to the public hall every weekend for Sunday Mass, so it was made very light and very large. Later it was fixed permanently in the chapel in the Chaplaincy, which is rather plain, on the wall behind the altar, so that it fosters attention on the weekday sacrifice of Mass, and aids prayer, The colours are light and modern to fit a student establishment in a modern building. Icons, although based on the human form, have an underlying abstract quality and dynamic use of shape and colour which resonate with the modern mind and fit as well into modern settings as traditional churches. Similar commissions include a Virgin of the Sign for Bristol University Chaplaincy.