I have completed my icon of St. Teresa of Avila and I am pleased with the way it has turned out.  Behind the saint is a representation of the Interior Castle – St. Teresa’s image for the stages of prayer and contemplation and how we encounter God through our own thoughts and imaginings and even going beyond these to that still point where we realize all is grace and pure gift from God.  St. Teresa has much to teach us. 

Recently I picked up a wonderful book on iconography entitled Hidden and Triumphant: The Underground Struggle to Save Russian Iconography.  The book is written by Irina Yazykova and it presents the story of how courageous men and women kept the art and prayer of iconography alive during the years and persecution of the communist Soviet regime. 

At one point in the introduction the author shares the description of iconography as being “contemplation in colors”.  I think that this is a wonderful description for the work of iconography and I know that it is a description that I will continue to reflect on and draw insight from.