Homage to Frida Kahlo

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Comment by Yiyah on July 8, 2009 at 11:55am

I am in love with your interpretation of the inspirational Frida Kahlo...is this painting perhaps for sale?? If so, I am interested! Your work is incredible...thank you for sharing!!
Shariyah

www.yiyah.etsy.com
www.yessy.com/shariyahgarner

Comment by Dave on March 25, 2009 at 6:20pm

i'm baaack ; )

Icons and Religion

Russian Icons began as a form of Christian art. They were created so that believers could have pictures to help them think about God. There were many different images of Jesus Christ and his mother, Mary. The different images used symbols to help the people think about God in different ways. (In Christian theology, Jesus is the Son of God the Father and is God, himself.) Images of saints were also popular, because they were examples of people who had lived holy lives. Groups of icons were used to show church festivals.

According to religious tradition, some icons are associated with miracles. These miracles are supposed to be caused by the faith of the people praying before them. The icons do not have magic power of their own.

Icons did not change very much over the centuries. This is true even though they have been painted by many different artists in many different countries over many different centuries. Icon artists had to obey strict church rules (canons) about the way they could paint. These rules limited the styles they could use.

The canons were made so that artists could not paint their own versions of God or holy people. Icons were supposed to show unchanging spiritual truths. The people thought, If God doesn’t change, why should the way we show Him change? In religious terms, icons are much more than pictures--they are symbols. They could never be just portraits of saints or divine figures. They are a "likeness" (podobi e) of what the figures represent.

There was an advantage to creating all icons with the same rules. Everyone could agree on the meaning of the symbols used in the paintings. This meant that the icons could be used to teach lessons about God, scripture, and church history. This was important in a time when very few people knew how to read.


Interesting Fact: Some people were very angry at the idea that pictures could be used to represent their God. They believed that their God was eternal, all knowing, and all powerful. They felt that showing their God as a human was a kind of lie. These people became so angry that they broke into homes and churches to break the icons there. Because of their actions, we now use the word iconoclast (image breaker) for anyone who one who attacks other people’s beliefs or institutions.





Until the eighteenth century, icons were used only for prayer. Many were used to decorate churches while others were kept in people’s homes. Icons kept in people’s homes might show Jesus and/or Mary, his mother. Or, they might show a saint that someone in the family was named for. Icons kept at home were put in a place of honor—the krasniy ugol (beautiful corner). Both at home and in church, may bow down or kneel before an icon, or kiss it, as a way of showing their feelings toward the being the icon represents.

http://www.geocities.com/denisesb10468/RussianIcons-Religion.html

Comment by Dave on March 7, 2009 at 10:44pm

Example of a 'traditional' icon --
http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/icons/data/pantokrator2.gif

Comment by Dave on March 7, 2009 at 10:42pm

I love it -- reminds me of the many Christian 'Icons' created of saints and which were seen as objects of protection and safety-- I especially love her earrings ; )

Comment by Madalena Lobao_Tello on February 21, 2009 at 3:37pm

Achtung Nada :)
Thank you!

Comment by Achtung Nada on February 20, 2009 at 4:08am

Beautiful painting and beautifully done, I love the expression of this person, she looks at us as though she was reading through us