Description
The course will take place at Milestone Community Chruch
Vetquoy Rd, Dounby KW17 2JE.
For this course, we chose an icon of Mary Magdalene. We wanted to make an effort to paint
more icons of women saints. We think it is important. Through the artwork and the meditative
process of creating this icon, you will be able to reflect on her story and how it can inspire
you.
This 5-day intensive icon painting workshop is designed for students of all abilities. No
previous experience is required. The course aims to help you understand the tradition of icon
painting through studying masterpieces and through their inspiration to create your own icon.
Over 5 days of intensive work, students will go through all stages of icon painting, which will
be an excellent introduction and experience for using the egg tempera technique.
Stages of work include:
Sketching and designing. Students can use images of icons provided as inspiration or simply
alter an original image slightly. Students are encouraged to be creative and listen to their
instincts.
Transfer of finished drawings onto a panel covered with layers of gesso. Panels are provided
and ready for students to use, as it takes at least 2 days to prepare them. (It is possible to
have additional tuition on making panels on a request).
Redrawing with paint. Students will learn how to make paints using egg yolk and dry
pigments.
Once all surfaces are covered with enough layers of ground, we can start building shapes
using lights. In icon painting, we don’t build shapes with shadows.
Gilding – for students who would like to try Gilding. We would normally cover a small surface
using a schlagmetal leaf, which is not a real gold leaf. It is an excellent method for
beginners, as the gold leaf is extremely thin and difficult to work with. We will use oil gilding.
Applying final lights and highlights. Finishing.
It is recommended to wait at least a few weeks before varnishing the finished icon painted in
egg tempera. Students are welcome to arrange a time and date to return and varnish their
paintings.
Basia Mindewicz
Basia was born in 1978 in Warsaw and is an icon painter and contemporary artist. She was
trained in Poland in the College dedicated to iconography. She was studying ancient
techniques of egg tempera and gold gilding. For many years, she has mainly worked in a
very traditional style, learning the icon language. When she came to Edinburgh, she started
exploring other “languages”, searching for more personal and contemporary ways of
depicting parallel reality. Her artistic development reveals the truth about who we are and
what we need to become whole. Icon painting as a spiritual practice grows in silence and
stillness.
Recently, she began working with saints that are connected to animals and nature and also
created a few icons of animals. This project is still ongoing. You can see more on Basia’s
Instagram (basia_mindewicz) and Edinburgh School of Icon Painting Facebook Page.
Basia Graduated from The Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education, MA and
College of Iconography (Policealne Studium Ikonograficzne) in Bielsk Podlaski in 2008. She
has been working for a significant icon painting workshop in Poland and has organised many
private workshops and residential courses.
She is a director and a teacher at Edinburgh School of Icon Painting. The school celebrated
its tenth anniversary last October.
She has taught many workshops and led many residential workshops for many institutions,
including The Bield and Quakers Study Centre in Birmingham.
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