Posted in Plaster icon

Three Icons of St Macrina

For the past three years, while I was at St Vladimir’s Seminary, I painted the icon of St Macrina the Younger that was given as a yearly teacher award. For the final year, I gave her the title Macrina the Teacher – this seemed appropriate for the context, but also,  more appropriate for the Saint. She is best known as an older sister to St Basil the great and St Gregory of Nyssa, who both refer to her above all as the teacher. St Gregory depicts her as an icon of Christ, for which reason I gave her a more Christ-like posture in the later icon.

Year one. St Macrina hold an icon of her three sainted siblings, which is also similar in form to the Three Hierarchs icon which is the dedication of the St Vladimir's chapel.

Year one. St Macrina hold an icon of her three sainted siblings, which is also similar in form to the Three Hierarchs icon which is the dedication of the St Vladimir’s chapel.

Year two. St Macrina is sometimes depicted as a monastic, with the schema.

Year two. St Macrina is sometimes depicted as a monastic, with the schema.

Year three. This icon went to our music teacher and choir director, and I found a quote that would resonate.

Year three. This icon went to our music teacher and choir director, and I found a quote that would resonate.

 

All three icons are painted with mineral silicate paints on plaster panels.

Plaster Icons

The first four in a home deisis series. Once completed, there will be six figures on each side of the central icon of Christ. These icons are painted with Keim paint on plaster, the same paint I used on the walls of Holy Cross and St. Cyrpian churches. These icons are suitable for indoor or outdoor use. The icon of Christ is about 17×17″, and the others are 5×11.5″.
Archangel-Michael
Christ
St-John
Archangel-Gabriel

Keim Paint

Sts-Seraphim-and-Herman

This icon is painted on a plastered river rock using Keim mineral paint. This icon stays outside and withstands all weather conditions.

Keim mineral paint was developed in 1878 by a scientist named Adolf Keim. The invention came in response to a request by King Ludwig I of Bavaria, who wanted to make outdoor frescoes similar to those in Italy, but needed a new technique to withstand the much harsher climate of his region. Keim paint is made of liquid water glass and mineral pigments. The paint bonds to mineral substances such as rock, brick, and plaster, rather than forming a thin skin (as is the case with latex paint). This means that the paint does not peel, and is truly as durable as the surface on which it is painted.