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Yesterday offered me a rare chance to enjoy one of my hobbies that I regret gets little time at the moment – that of painting.  I was very fortunate to go on one of the Diocese’s Continuing Ministry Development [CMD] days, entitled Glimpses of Eternity – a day workshop on the making of icons.  The day ably led by Jacky Botterill, who is an experienced icon writer, and contemplative religious.  The day was held at Wren Hall, the Education Centre of the Cathedral.

Our day started with coffee, and the choosing of an image to use.  As it was the feast day of St Polycarp, I choose an image of him.  We then chose our wooden panels, which had been previously coated with 12 coats of whiting and glue,  and which only needed rubbing down to prepare the surface for painting.  The paints we used were egg tempora, which required the separating of the egg yolk from the white, and then taking the egg yolk sac, breaking the sac with a needle and draining the liquid yolk into a jar, and then discarding the sac.  The pigment can then be added to the yolk liquid and you have your paint.  Hours later, and after prayer, orthodox chanting and gallons of coffee, were admired our efforts, placed them in a temporary iconostasis, and prayed for God’s blessing on our work.

A great day, and thanks to Jacky – see her work at http://www.stella-maris-icons.co.uk/index.html  To see mine, look below! I must make more time to do this kind of work.