Middle School/Upper School Iconography Camp
Each day in Iconography Camp, students will work on both a glass icon- a tradition from Eastern Europe- and a traditional Byzantine icon. Whether on glass or wood, the students will use the traditional medium of “egg tempera,” which is dried mineral-derived pigments mixed with egg yolk. Since it is a “prayer of the hands,” students will also learn about the spiritual aspect of the images they are painting and the practice of iconography.
Glass iconography flourished in 19th century Transylvania (part of Romania). Sometimes glass iconography workshops formed within the family: one member grinding pigment, one designing the icons, and others mixing in the egg yolk and applying the colors. These icons were painted in backwards order-it is also called “Reverse Glass Iconography” and flipped over at the end-allowing the glass to serve as a protective layer. They were then placed on shiny silver or gold paper in lieu of real gold leaf. Though far from artistic training centers such as Constantinople, these icons express a vividness of spirituality that is also fully within the canonical tradition. For more information about Glass icon, see the Glass Icon Page of Mrs. Sider-Rose’s website
Our subject for the Byzantine icon on wood will be Jonah, a favorite topic of the very earliest Christians. Even from the Catacombs of Rome, where Christians held services and buried their dead in secret, many beautiful wall paintings and amazing statues of Jonah survive. The parallel between Jonah and Christ was significant to early Christians: Just as Christ was resurrected after three days in the tomb, Jonah seemed “dead” in the whale, only to be saved by God to bring His important message to Nineveh.
Overview Video
- Overview of all the classes (0.00)
- The classes as listed on the St. Raphael website
- The difference between the Workshops, the Apprenticeships, and the Summer Camp
- Description of the different offerings in more detail (2:32)
- World Iconography Camp, (2:35)
- Apprenticeship (9:00)
- Age requirements for all the classes, including Workshops (11:40)
- Summer Board Building Workshop (12:27)
Please e-mail the instructor if you have any questions about the right class for you or your student: rsiderrose.raphaelschool@gmail.com
Syllabus
* Required materials
CLICK HERE for Course Materials
Note: Unlike the Iconography Workshops and Apprenticeship, an external webcam is not required for this class. However, if you have one, please use it for this class so the teacher can observe as the student works.
* Required materials not included with course purchase
Randi Maria Sider-Rose began painting icons over 20 years ago when she was able to travel to learn from different iconography teachers across the country. Since then, she has married Michael Sider-Rose and completed an MDiv at the University of Chicago Divinity School. As well as taking commissions from churches and individuals, Mrs. Sider-Rose loves to walk with students on the journey of learning to see better and more intentionally, using this “prayer of the hands” to grow in holiness, with God’s grace. Homeschooling her four children in an urban fixer-upper strewn with books, art projects, and Legos helps keep the whole operation real.
Mrs. Sider-Rose and her family attend Saint Moses the Black Orthodox Mission Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she has been blessed by His Grace Bishop Thomas to serve in the ministry of iconography.
E-mail: rsiderrose.raphaelschool@gmail.com
For more information about Mrs. Sider-Rose’s process, please visit her website at www.immanuelicons.org.
Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be much better solutions, as they enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed Internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your Internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
Webcam: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer. Webcam Recommendations: Good (PC only) | Best (Mac and PC)
Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class. Headset Recommendations: USB | 3.5mm
Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use.
To download Zoom:
- Visit zoom.us/download.
- Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
- Open and run the installer on your computer.
- In August, students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
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This registration will be finalized when the student's placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.