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Foremost, the work of an icon is one of prayer and meditation. This approach makes the end result a sacred object as apposed to a piece of spiritual art. The proper use of an icon is to be a call to worship. The object of worship is not the icon, but the truth it points to. The icon then is a window into heaven, a prayer made visible, and an invitation to encounter the Eternal. The icon is a complex art form that uses color and composition as well as symbolic elements to reveal theological truths. Many of the various "types" of icons come from patterns that have been in existence for hundreds of years. Even the use of a "pattern" reflects a theological truth; we pattern our lives after Our Lord and the Saints. Yet within the pattern there is freedom for our individuality to show through. Thus we see that each icon is a unique piece of work. Each step in iconography is a reflection of the theology of the Christian faith. Through the use of symbol, color and composition, the artist can create new patterns as long as they stay true to this theology. A common characteristic is to collapse time and include every possible element from a story. There is a certain completeness to these icons which is wonderful; however, the stories and the truths they reflect are complex. The freedom to include or remove elements gives the artist the ability to create a pattern which emphasizes one part of the story or another. There are many reasons why this may be preferable. Once a pattern has been chosen, the iconographer will transfer it onto a board. The boards used in the studio of Jane Ladik are produced according to ancient methods and the work done on them should last hundreds of years. Once the pattern is on the board, the paint is applied. The dark colors are put down first. Even this is a powerful symbol representing the darkness of our nature. The paint is built up to opaque through the application of multiple layers. The strokes used are calligraphic in nature. This and the theology behind the work gives rise to the reference of "writing" as opposed to "painting" an icon. When the pattern is filled, the artist introduces the "Light". The source of light is the halo and we see it coming from within the holy person depicted. In an icon of Mary and Christ, the light from Mary will be eclipsed by the light from Christ. Therefore the light sources will play off one another and serve to draw us out of the physical world and into the spiritual. |
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