Progress on "Kimberly with Roses"

19 1/2" x 15 1/4", egg tempera (in progress) on true gesso panel

Still laying in the first layer of paint on portions of this, since patterns take time, and I have devoted several painting sessions to this egg tempera portrait since my last progress report.

studio problem

Just a note that until it is fixed, a practical problem in my studio is preventing me from working normal hours, but I hope to resume posting as soon as it improves.

Introducing "Mona Conner Portraits"

I've recently started a new blog, "MONA CONNER PORTRAITS - Portraits Large and Small" which will sometimes include my spiritual paintings, but where the emphasis is just on portraits. It's my fourth blog!

Here at Grander Joy of Spirit, I've taken a break from my first Mary in Kimberly panel until I can have a repair completed to a few areas of the gesso before I continue to apply the gold leaf, but next I will be working on final touches for one of my pastels, and will resume posting too on my progress with the portrait of Kimberly with roses.

Amritanandamayi Ma's visit to NYC

Only one week until Amma's darshan..........I can't wait!!!

The Sacred Art of Icon-writing

My icon-writing in progress of Archangel Michael in the Russian Byzantine style offered at the Prosopon School of Iconology. Further illuminations will lighten the face and hands.

Since this blog is about spiritual and sacred art, I wanted to do at least one post about the sacred art of icon-writing. After painting the initial stages of only one icon, shown above, I am still strictly a beginner, and there is so much more to learn, but I was fortunate to spend my Saturdays for about a year's time at the New York Studio of the Prosopon School of Iconology. When my art sales improve, I also hope to resume icon-writing lessons.

I initially learned about the presence of Russian master icon painter Vladislav Andrejev in the U.S. through artist friends Suzanne Scherer and Pavel Ouporov. Later when I heard he had formed the Prosopon School, which included a New York Studio, I was thrilled to start lessons with one of Vladislav's sons, Dmitri Andrejev, and later with Tatiana Berestova. My reaction when I entered the icon studio for the very first time and saw all of the icons in progress lining the room, was to cry, because it is such a very wonderful and moving sight.

Icon-writing is done with egg tempera and gold leaf on gessoed icon panels which usually have a niched border and vary in shape. Partly because it is considered to be a spiritual practice, it is probably true that as many as 50% of icon-writers have no previous artistic training or background, even though artists also enjoy the craft aspects of this art form. Icons stand apart from other forms of spiritual art because they are created to serve as an interface or portal window between the spiritual and physical realms, and it is for this reason that classes at Prosopon give equal emphasis and time to teaching the spiritual and symbolic meaning of each part of the physical process involved in this sacred art.

To learn more about icon-writing, and to see wonderful pictures of icons and sacred paintings, please visit Prosopon School of Iconology . There are also some wonderful icons from around the world currently posting in the Facebook group Egg Tempera Painters

Progress update on the first "Mary in Kimberly" panel painting

(click on the art in progress to view it larger; as previously explained, the red clay bole background will later be covered with gold leaf and bordered with the mother of pearl, a sample of which is included at the lower right)

At this time I am working on the veil, hands, and lower portions of the portrait. This post shows further work in egg tempera, on and around the hands.

Important Announcement About My Egg Tempera Workshop

I will need to hear from five or more definite participants by June 10th in order to hold the opportunity of the private summer workshop in egg tempera in position for early August. To help you decide if you are considering attending, here is some additional information:

The location in Brooklyn, NY is within driving distance from most neighboring major cities and approx. 30 minutes from mid-Manhattan via subway. PLEASE NOTE: the dates have moved slightly to Tuesday through Thursday, August 3, 4, and 5. The cost is $300 for two full days of instruction 10 AM to 6PM with a one-hour lunch break, and $400 for three full days, excluding accommodations which are running approx. $200 and up per night, BUT only if booked now at the Holiday Inn Express and and at similar locations very near the venue in Brooklyn. The workshop fee also covers a gesso panel to paint on, and a few basics (like eggs!), but not all of your art materials, so please plan to bring paints and brushes with you, and a reasonable supply list will be provided to guide you on what you will need.

For those who wish for it, and because I have included the optional of three days instruction: if it is the group's desire to spend part or all of the additional day out on a field trip, it is also my personal delight to take you to one or more possible locations: The Bronx Zoo, the New York Aquarium at Coney Island, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, or a New York City Cathedral tour including St Patrick's Cathedral. I hear that an exciting new version of the musical "Promises, Promises" is returning to Broadway this summer, and there are many exciting ways to spend your evenings in the Big Apple during your stay.

Your $100 check holds your spot in the workshop, but I will need to at least receive your email responses by June 10th (please email mona@monadianeconner.com). Inquiries also welcomed.

A start on the veil

Now that the outline of it is clearer, I am working on the translucency of the veil. (click on the image to see it larger)

Preparing the first panel for gilding

I've paused my work on this portrait to begin the gold-leafing for it's background which helps establish the outline of the veil. Later on I'll be adding mother-of-pearl as a border.

Later today: an update on my first panel painting

I'm writing an article today about my work in miniature for the next issue of the Miniature Art Society of Florida newsletter, but I also have an update on my first "Mary in Kimberly" panel that I hope to post afterwards, so please stay tuned for the update, coming soon.

Further progress on the panel painting of Kimberly with roses

(egg tempera painting on panel in progress. Beginning to lay in the flesh tones here.)

Kimberly with roses egg tempera on panel - beginning the veil

I'm working from several photos I took, but this is my main reference picture

Detail showing my start on the veil

Kimberly with roses - Step 3

Egg Tempera Workshop Dates

materials used in painting with egg tempera include yolk of egg and powder pigments

For those of you interested in learning first-hand about painting with the medium of egg tempera, the dates set so far for my Egg Tempera Workshop this summer in Brooklyn, NY are Thursday - Friday, August 5 -6. Please email mona@monadianeconner.com for more information as it develops!

If there is enough interest for June too, I'll consider setting up a second workshop.

Step #2 of New Egg Tempera Panel

If you missed my announcement, it's posted over on the right-hand side.

Step #1 of new egg tempera panel painting / Egg Tempera Workshop announcement

egg tempera panel painting in progress, detail of a 20" x 15 3/4" rectangular birch gesso panel (click image to see it larger)

This post represents three days of preparation for the start of a new egg tempera panel painting (transferring my drawing and laying in portions of my underpainting.) The drawing is a bit hard to capture in a digital photo because it is composed with the light blue lines of transfer paper (see the drawing in my previous post for details), but I will be showing this painting too in it's ongoing stages of progress as I continue to complete the first panel painting.

Some of you who have followed my blog will recall that it is quite normal for the first several layers of egg tempera on panel to be raw in appearance, but if anyone has questions in general about egg tempera painting, I want to let you know that I am planning to try an in-person egg tempera workshop this summer if at least 10 people would like to attend. Dates, cost, and details to come when I know how many are interested, but it will take place in Brooklyn, NY.

If you'd like to participate in my workshop, please email me at: mona@monadianeconner.com, and please let me know also if you have a preference for doing it in June or in August.

New drawing for The 'Mary' in Kimberly series of portraits

Preparatory drawing for a painting of Kimberly with roses

While I'm finishing up the backgrounds and finishing touches on some of my other spiritual portraits, and continuing my work on the first 'Mary' in Kimberly portrait panel, I'm starting something new. Still debating what size I want this one to be, and I'm picturing it in egg tempera.

father and son portrait in progress

egg tempera portrait in progress, approximate size 17" x 15"

Although this is not an official part of my spiritual portrait series, another portrait I'm also currently working on is this one of a father with his first son. The subjects in this instance prefer to remain anonymous, and at this point, the initial layer of the grass is just blocked in, with more work to do on both the figures and background.

"The 'Mary' in Terry #2" with gold leaf

"The 'Mary' in Terry #2," 25 1/2" x 19 1/2", pastel and 24 kt. gold leaf on La Carte pastelboard

I have minor details to fill in at the bottom of the image, but here is another detail view

"White Madonna in Aix-en-Provence"

(detail view)

"White Madonna in Aix-en-Provence", 36" x 24", pastel on Wallis paper

I'm still awaiting restoration of some of my retouching and scanning software that is important to file size and color for posting, so please bear with me on my posts temporarily, but except for some final touches, I'm pleased to present my latest pastel! I'm also adding something special to one of the portraits you've seen in progress, and will be posting on that as soon as it's far enough along to show you.