The course is suitable for those who have painted few icons (but master the basics) as well as for more experienced painters. The student chooses and composes their icon subject with the help of the instructor, according to their accumulated painting experience. For Finns, nature, alongside humanity, often appears as the clearest manifestation of God's creation, something where His handiwork is most easily seen. In our language, the word luonto (nature) is derived from the verb luoda (to create). Nature is thus for us, through our language, fundamentally something that is created. The miraculousness of nature tells us of the Creator's power, wisdom, and love. Many Finns encounter God's presence in the peace and quiet of nature: “Now the forest can be my church, here I can worship God.” (From Immi Hellén’s poem The Shepherd Boy, 1930) As an icon of God's creation, nature is sacred to Christians and must be respected and protected. Nature is a gift from the Creator to us, and we bear responsibility for it: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15)
Icon painting is a living tradition and evolves with time. Through icon painting, we can, or rather, should, also address the problems of our time. These include, for example, climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss caused by us. Through icons, we can offer people not only correct courses of action but also hope for the future. On this course, concerns about the state of nature are addressed through icons, reminding us of the hope that, in the end, everything is in the Creator's hands. The course involves painting icons featuring nature: Animals, plants, bees, trees, water, etc. The icon panel and other tools and materials needed for the course can be purchased from the institute. The course instruction begins on July 9, with accommodation for the preceding night included in the course price; any meals on July 8 are paid at normal prices at Trapesa. Please note that those under 35 years old receive a 40 percent discount on icon painting courses. The instructor is icon conservator and painter Antti Narmala. The language of instruction is Finnish.
The Epass mobile application can be used as a payment method for this course.
