ByzArtAndMore

we have been painting churches al fresco for many years but, while murals can absolutely lead to remarkable achievements, working on an icon is where you can really allow yourself to dive into details and create.

the orthodox iconography is an extremely vast subject and it is next to impossible to have all the themes in all the shapes and dimensions someone might want one day, ready for shipping, just waiting on the wall for the right buyer... most of the work we do is custom made, following the particular indications of the client and this gives us the greatest pleasure: creating something distinct and unique (although there will always be similarities between works depicting the same theme as is the way of canonic orthodox iconography)

my artworks are not perfect and they will never be, as I am not looking for perfection, I'm just channeling a higher power :))

I am not making copies, I 'throw' myself all in an icon and I let 'forces' I don't entirely understand decide how much of me remains in the final artwork resulted.

when I work on an icon I let myself go with divine inspiration and dedicate my complete attention to the flow of my painting journey; that is all and the only thing I consider important in the creation of an icon, therefore you will find that everything else in an artwork of mine is less than perfect: I'm talking about the back of the icon - which is usually raw wood, the edges - which may not form a 90 degrees angle all around :) or the gilding - which may not always be perfectly neat or 24k gold, a small crack or a fine fingerprint, and so on...

I shall not erase my presence, I am part of the coming into being of the icon, and it is natural to leave behind human traces of imperfection blended with symbolistic painting of another world figures.

my attention is always with the painting and when it's done, it's done, I shall not revisit it for the sake of insignificant imperfections - which, by the way, they are not :) they are just mere humble human marks left on site to be joined with greatness forever :)) (a bit much?! :)) maybe, but I'm sure you got the idea :))

now, all that being said, don't expect the sloppiest, clumsiest most carelessly crafted piece of art in the whole world :)) I DO have my standards :)) and I DO want to have repeat customers :))

to me, the process of creating an icon is extremely complex and, what comes through, what guides my hands, eyes and mind toward the achievement of the painting is the only focus that I have; the rest is there just to support it: gilding is just a technique, gold itself is just an earthly material - which, to be honest, I would prefer to not use at all sometimes -, wood is... well, wood :)

if you consider any of the examples above as faults to an item you'd like to acquire, then my artwork is not for you.
if you need more detailed pictures in order to decide, just ask for them :) thank you for taking the time to read :)