“I am who I Am. I will be who I will Be”. Icon Painting Project

“I am who I Am. I will be who I will Be”. By Karin Luciano

Egg tempera (egg yolk/vinegar/water/hand ground paint pigment), acrylic, photoluminescent paint, Australian red clay pigment,
100 year old 23.5ct goldleaf, 100 year old 925 silverleaf,
Almandine Garnet, green Peridot, blue Topaz, framed with museum glass.

I love this painting but the 3 judges didn’t love it as much as I do.

I worked on this painting for 9 months as a project for an entry into the Mandorla Religious Art Prize 2016.

50 Finalists were chosen out of 258 entries and mine was not accepted to be a finalist. The selection committee looked at a photograph only and I believe that if they saw and felt the energy of the painting in all its dimensions, they may alter their opinion. Artists were only allowed to submit 3 sentences to describe their work.
With months of painting process to describe, it was almost impossible to make a description of what I wanted to say in just a few words.

Every artist successful or not must master the art of accepting rejection.

Of course I’m terribly disappointed but the good news is that I will be able to sell this 3 levelled complex painting privately and nothing will deter me from creating and I will be back to the studio to keep working at my fulltime art career.

Read along if you want to read the whole story.

I started this icon along with 2 other icons in January 2015 at an icon painting week long intensive workshop in Melbourne. The teachers were 2 professional full time Russian icon painter artists from St Petersburg who flew in specifically to teach this traditional Byzantine method. Read at the bottom of the full description information about the process of icon painting.

I find it too difficult to paint in the greyness of winter so I put the work aside until August 2015 and worked on the 3 icon painting backgrounds.

Recommencing the Project

I then recommenced working on it on the 1st January 2016 and worked on it most days and nights until the end of April. I put the most intense weeks and hours of concentration and labour of love into this artwork and worked on it for the last month every day and night until 2-3am.

I wanted to create a piece that was significantly energized with contemplative prayer, meditation, sacred music and positive healing intentions.

This work represents the resurrection of the spirit and I incorporated sacred geometry of the trinity 3 in every aspect of the work.

The size of this framed painting is 108 cm x 108 cm x 9cm depth.

The number 3 takes on a special significance in most religious contexts and 108 is very significant in Hinduism, Buddhism, Rosicrucianism, Janinism, Sikkhism, Taoism, Pythagorean, Islam and Jewish culture. The diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the Earth.

Process driven, symbolic and ritualising I drew on the 3 elements of gold, silver and earth that consumed the last of my antique 100 year old antique gold and my 100 year old antique 925 silver leaf.

Awakening from the unseen, the invisible made visible, and becoming a tool for meditative contemplation I delved deep in my psyche and represented the struggle that was erased and truths revealed.

This work was holy guided by intuition arrived in my consciousness and every aspect represents the transition from the mystical into the metaphysical.

I combined the temperare ancient traditional Prosopon method of icon writing juxtaposed with modern acrylic, photoluminescent paint and Australian indigenous red clay bole.

Starting the first level:

The base board of the icon project is an original painting from 2005 that I overpainted with 5 separate layers painted in gesso (a white primer paint) of the symbols of Infinity, the Alpha and the Omega followed by multiple titles of the painting in sequential groups of 3 in the 3 elements of gold, silver and copper. I allowed the original words of ‘Soul ‘ to stay exposed.

The 6th layer I handmixed and ground Australian Red Clay pigment with the words of the title of the painting written and repeated in gold, silver and copper.

This was followed by the symbols of the Alpha, the Omega & Infinity. The words of the title of the painting are written and repeated in gold, silver and copper, and photo-luminescent paint.
Lastly in Hebrew the words ,’I am who I Am. I will be who I will Be’ gilded in silverleaf.

 “Basically I’m working on 3 separate paintings that all have their individual stories. The finale will be weaving and intermingling their magic together to combine one work of layers”.

Starting the second level:

On the gold leaf painting base, there are 9 multiple layers of gesso (primer), painted in 3 directions of east west/north-south/circular circles – each circle painted clockwise and anticlockwise. Each layer is hand sanded back to a soft silky surface. This is followed by 3 top layers of terracotta.

“Slowly slowly slowly I am getting it all together so it forms some sort of cognitive semblence. The next 7 days will be intensive underlaying of 2 of the boards with primer of gesso, sanding it back, then layering it over, sanding it back and over again until the desired surface and context is met.
It is a minimum of 9 layers, preferably 12 as an icon ‘writing’ work should adhere to the rules of prayer application.
Then the terracotta bole is applied and sanded. Then the gold leaf is applied and burnished with an agate gemstone burnisher.
Lots of layers and lots of fine deliberate meditative work ahead.

All this will be hidden from the eye, but it remains there as a symbolic gesture addressing the theme of the work which is Resurrection”.

After the 9^th layer of gesso and sanding, I applied the gold leaf. I decided to use a new gold leaf size (glue) from France that is used by professional gilders in Europe as I was trying to be as authentic as possible. With only 3 weeks to go to complete the project, I found that the gold leaf size just wouldn’t dry! After 3 days of waiting which would normally take 3 hours maximum, with tears I decided to wipe off all the very expensive and irreplaceable antique gold leaf, clean off the French product size, sand it all back and start again.

“I’m still awaiting the gilding for gold leaf size (special ‘glue’) to dry. 17 hours later….

After not being able to read the directions in tiny tiny writing and forging ahead last night with this new product (as I wanted to stay as traditionally authentic as possible and use this French product), and at midnight i thought to myself, “It surely must be similar to every other gilding size I’ve used”?

I’ve discovered on instructions found via mr google that I should have shook the bottle very well before using. Usually one NEVER shakes it. 17 hours later and the tack is still just that.
It hasn’t gone unWet and is not drying at all. The gold leaf should be firmly attached but it’s still sliding and ripping if I touch it.

I’m not sure what to do. I can’t take it off as I’ve got 2 weeks of 9 layers of symbolic directional gesso- each layer handsanded in small circles with a superfine 1200 grit sandpaper. And now with 2 layers of gold leaf that remains wet underneath. … Mm.
This kinda reminds me of the beautiful Tibetan sand mandalas that take days and days to complete and are then tipped into the sea or a body of water reminding one of the illusory quality and impermanence of life”.

“Three days later and my gold leaf hasn’t cured and isn’t dry. It feels like it’s swimming on olive oil. I will have to wipe off the whole gold leaf, wasting it all, and start again with my usual familiar gilding size…”
I’m using this opportunity to further the virtue of Patience. With only 5 days left to complete the whole project, I’m testing this virtue to it maximum capacity”.

Tears of frustration followed as I wiped away all traces of the goldleaf. The Iconographers Prayer and I worked in deep silences while painting, balancing this with sacred music of Monteverdi vespers 1610, Byzantine chants, Vedic mantras and musical raptures. I recommenced by breathing deeper with prayer and massaged on Mary Magdalene anointing oil from the Cathar Languedoc Region in South France to complete the 12 layers. I finalised this piece by applying the last layer of my authentic antique 23.5ct gold leaf.

“My antique gold leaf collection is finished! It feels very sad to see the container that’s held them for the last 9 years completely empty”. 

This icon painting used all of the last of the collection of antique 100 year old 925 silver and 23.5 ct gold leaf. The transition, the bleed through interpreting pain and anguish and finally hope with the gold leaf board layer.

The Halo:

The finale of the halo expressing positivity and arrival.

I incorporated the 9 carefully selected 4.5mm in diameter gemstones into the 23.5ct antique gold leaf halo, each being 3 cm apart. The Semi precious jewels are 3 Almandine Garnet gemstones, 3 green Peridot gemstones, 3 blue Topaz gemstones symbolising regeneration, destiny, purity, truth, forgiveness and love while anchoring the subtle body in the physical carnation.

“These are the fabulous gem stones I embedded into the halo last night. They are blue topaz, peridot and almandine garnet.
I’m nervous about seeing if they stayed in place while setting overnight. It felt like I was doing surgery utilising all my tiny pointed embossing tools and prongs trying to get them all to balance. I had to wait all day to remove the supports holding the gemstones that were setting overnight and all today.

I started at 10am this morning but we had 70 people through the gallery constantly throughout the day for the Margaret River Region Open Studios, with each person wanting to chat, so it wasn’t until 4.30pm that I could start the reveal. I’m very relieved that it is exactly as I had hoped it would turn out.
Tonight I need to add minute teeny weeny 2 mm size fragments of goldleaf to cover the adhere formula where the gemstones meet the gold leaf halo.
Being self taught artist in all techniques, I had a practice run on paper and wood yesterday using 21 different methods so I could hone in on the method that worked best”.

The Icon:

The I A M lettering on the icon painting is the original 100 year old original signwriter’s own lettering undisturbed.

Semi precious jewels of almandine garnet, peridot and topaz adorn the halo symbolising regeneration, destiny, purity, truth, forgiveness and love while anchoring the subtle body in the physical carnation.

“These are the fabulous gem stones I embedded into the halo last night. They are blue topaz, peridot and almandine garnet.
I’m nervous about seeing if they stayed in place while setting overnight. It felt like I was doing surgery utilising all my tiny pointed embossing tools and prongs trying to get them all to balance.
Being self taught artist in all techniques, I had a practice run on paper and wood yesterday using 21 different methods so I could hone in on the method that worked best”.

My final summary in nouns that I wrote the moment I had completed the project:

Meditative. Contemplative. Ritual

100 year old 23.5ct gold leaf and 100 year old 925 silver leaf.

3 metal elements of gold, silver & copper.
Infinity symbol/Alpha caps transitioning to small alpha/Omega.

Semi precious gemstones:
Almandine Garnet – Purity. Regenerates anchoring the subtle body into physical incarnation.
Peridot – Protective. Truth. Forgiveness. Helps understand destiny & spiritual purpose
Topaz – Forgiveness. Love. Self realisation

Wash away the imitation gold leaf, clean and scrub.

Anointing with Mary Magdalene anointing oil and apply the true gold leaf.

The struggle.
Erasing history and revealing truths.

A tale of transformation through initiation.
From the lower self to the higher self.

Using Sacred Geometry and the measurement and 3 in every aspect of the work.
108 names of God.
3 levels. 6 frames.

The final frame size 108cm x 108cm x 9cm

Only sacred music and silence were heard while painting the icon and underboard paintings:

Monteverdi Vespers 1567 -1643 most of the time.
Greek Orthodox Byzantine chants
Sacred Srirudram sacred vedic mantras. (Sri Thathata from India)
Sacred vedic ragas (Sri Thathata from India)
Patricia Cota Robles Musical Raptures music.
Matt Khan audio discourses.
Lee Carol Metatron audio discources.
A Thousand Years song by Christ ina Perri.

Before commencing each painting session I recited the Iconographer’s prayer with hands off energy prayer input.

Termerare – to mix together
Using Egg tempera paint for the icon. An ancient icon technique invented by Saint Lucas, the inventor of icon writing (painting)

Royal blue archway
Photoluminescent paint

Infinity. Alpha Omega.

I A M in original letters from antique signwriters lettering 1910
(company name – hookers, later resold and name changed to JC Signs -Melbourne) .

Raw Australian red clay pigment in the base. Indigenous. Physical Earth.

Trinity
Ritual
Process driven
Authentic Prosopon Traditional Icon painting method.
The unseen. The invisible. The Initiation.
Grace
Resurrection.
Life.
Truth.

Representing the suprahuman and highly involved in intuitive spiritual transformation, the mystical ascended into the metaphysical. Rising from the red earth and hatching into reality.

The final artist’s statement came to me. 2.12am – 3.12 am 30.4.16.
Submitted 1.5.16.

To those that are new to Icon paintings, what is it all about?

The creation of an icon painting is by no means an easy task, as to do this one has to be not merely a skilled artisan, but a theologian as well, because the Church always saw an icon as ‘theology in colours, or the gospel in colour.

All the meanings of the Icon have their archetypes in the Prosopon. What is Prosopon?

Prosopon originally meant “face” or “mask” in Greek and derives from Greek theatre, in which actors on a stage wore masks to reveal their character and emotional state to the audience. Both prosopon and hypostasis played central roles in the development of theology about the Trinity and about Jesus (as in Christology) in the debates of the 4th through 7th centuries.

This distinction is important to signify that God is undescribable by name and is unimaginable visually, while the Deity has a lot of names-energies and can be depicted through iconographic symbols. The task of an iconographer is therefore to expand the symbol of the artistic capacities of iconography.

The term is used for “the self-manifestation of an individual” that can be extended by means of other things. For example, a painter includes his brush within his own prosopon.

The word hypostasis means underlying state or underlying substance, and is the fundamental reality that supports all else. Every nature and every hypostasis has its own proper prosopon: face or countenance. It gives expression to the reality of the nature with its powers and characteristics.

After the resurrection, the human Jesus and the Logos (or discourse), reveal that they have always been one prosopon.