The Tree of Life
There’s nothing like a week of iconography to get this blog moving. I suppose one could say that I have been plagued with an enormous case of writer’s block. A combination of having a week to work on an icon of John the Baptist and beginning a book called The War of Art has gotten me back to the keyboard today.
Each time I begin a new icon I am struck by something new. This morning it was Irene’s comment about the grain of the wood used in iconography. She reminded us that one always paints with the grains running vertical as a symbol of reaching up to heaven. The wood represents the Tree of Life in two senses–the first Tree of Life that was found in the Garden of Eden as well as the ultimate Tree of Life, the Cross. We Christians should always be reminded that it is through the Cross of Christ that we have been given link for reaching up to heaven. May this week serve as a reminder to me of my perpetual need to reach out to God for help.
About The Author
Father,
I also spent the last week writing an icon…my first one (it’s on my most recent blog post). Thanks for this, for I have begun my second, a much larger one, this one on my own.
As this second is on wood, I especially thank you for the meditation on the significance of the wood grain as it will feed my (desperate) prayers and hopefully, aid me in not messing it up!
By the way, I’d love any advice you could or would be willing to offer. I had (have) an excellent teacher, but she, too, goes to others in order to improve!
I am still praying about my week, reviewing my notes, pondering the depths of what I learned. There is so much to learn and know and God imparts the lessons…but I know that I also need to ask for guidance from you who know so much more than I.
If it helps, my first Icon is the Mother of God “Three Handed” and the one I just began is much larger, Our Mother of Perpetual Help, on wood. (I have to stand to write it, actually).
My best advice as a novice is that “messing up” is part of the process. It is always a good lesson in humility to make mistakes and have to learn how to correct them—just like in our lives!
I will pray that your icons turn out to be beautiful, even if they are imperfect.
Oh, my I learned that lesson pretty clearly last week! LOL! As Sister said, “You can’t undo mistakes….you can only correct them!”! I had a lot of time to consider the parallel between the icon and my spiritual life! Oh, yes, and humility. You’d think it’d be EASY to trace a line, right? That’s kindergarten stuff. Nope. NOT easy to be so precise! Lesson one in humility. (Not that I approached this task with a big head by any means…I expected to mess up…a lot. What amazes me is the stuff I DIDN’T mess up!)
God is very very good, isn’t He?
It is good to have you back at the keyboard. I have read through all your posts after this one on your continued learning of iconography and find them to contain pearls of wisdom. May your efforts in this genre continue to be blessed.