Byzantine Blog

The Incarnation was not only the work of the Father, of His Virtue, and of His Spirit, but also the work of the will and faith of the Virgin. Without the consent of the Most-Pure One, without the agreement of her faith, this great project would have been as impossible as without the intervention of the Three divine Persons Themselves.

God took Mary for His Mother only after having instructed her and convinced her; He was thus able to take flesh from her because she freely chose to give it to Him. In the same way that God wanted to become incarnate, He wanted His Mother to bear Him freely, of her own free will.

Nicholas Cabasilas, Homily on the Annunciation

Posted by Svetlana at 03:53 PM | Permalink

Many times during the last year and a half since I created Byzantine Sacred Art web site I wished I could add a quick comment in response to some of the most frequent questions I was receiving through emails, or introduce articles that would relate to current issues, mostly regarding Balkan politics and Serbia in particular. This is not only time consuming (making whole new static html web pages), but also very difficult to incorporate in a web site dedicated primarily to Orthodox iconography, without making a complete chaos of dozens of different, faintly related subjects.

Connecting a blog, which contains a number of various categories on its own and can be quickly and easily updated, to the site seemed a perfect solution. This small section of the web site also allows me some more room to speak about broader subjects of art and design, and offer a view from another angle, the Orthodox one, on current events as they unfold. Another great advantage is that blog opens communication lines and allows visitors to exchange views directly, rather then through private emails. So, feel free to join in and visit these pages from time to time for updates.

Posted by Svetlana at 11:13 PM | Permalink

There are some really well written, poetic books that deal with archetypes, myths and fairy tales in such a way that they stir our imagination and seduce us into believing, even if for an instant, we are omnipotent, that with the right 'tools' we can re-format our psyche and achieve the immortality without anyone's help. That we can be without God, little gods on our own and through worshipping the nature (creation), instead of Creator, and our own layers of Self, our 'inner child' can grow into the almighty entity.

Among them is Clarissa Pinkola Estes' Running With the Wolves. It speaks directly to women and in a very flattering manner - we are not only powerful, unstoppable rivers of milk and creativity, we also don't seem to bear much responsibility for our actions and misguided decisions: everything we do wrong is because of the Bluebeard within us that devours our creative juices and paralyses us, turning us into submissive slaves; or because of the selfish fisherman within who won't let the Seal Woman in us return to nourishing depths of the ocean; or because of the Match Girl we all carry somewhere, who doesn't struggle to keep and multiply her flames; or due to the foolish father figure we also have in our army of selves, who sacrifices the most precious parts within for some food and safety...

In these circles of Jungian analysts, it is the Woman who is the life-giver, not God. She is the mighty Mother from our dreams, who drums us back into life, who collects our bones and tendons and pastes us with the spit back into creation. The Mother Earth, Mother Moon, Wolf Mother who is the age-old shamaness, wise witch above the cauldron of creation, spinning the fates and stirring the primordial soup.

Apart from Jung's archetypes, the basis for these types of poetic claptrap is the New Age idea of Inner Child who likes to play and is magnificently creative. It is an urge to revert back to magical thinking, to a belief that we can will things into being, as long as we wish hard enough and allow ourselves to sink into the thick waters of 'subconsciousness', where everything is connected and everything possible. St. John Climacus said in The Ladder of Divine Ascent that "it is not darkness and desolateness of place that give the demons power against us, but barrenness of soul". It is this unbearable barrenness of the soul and thirst for something to fill us up, to warm us up, to bring back the lost joy that makes us reach for any poison, anything that might numb the pain.

New Age shamans tell us that if we pay attention to our dreams, if we create our own rituals in which demons will be placated and deities satiated, if we establish our own "altar" and "church" where we worship the archetypes, if we submerge into the deepest layers of our being to search for clues, we shall get magically connected to the Universe and find our way back to the lost paradise. Apart from being utterly blasphemous and an anathema, it is also a very dangerous idea and the trip many have regretted taking. Karl Gustav Jung himself has suffered from his own descent into the subterranean in search of symbols, archetypes and 'subconscious', plunging into psychosis and almost entirely losing his mind.

Orthodox Fathers have been warning us for centuries that it is easy to get lost in the depths of one's mind, that basing life decisions on dreams and figments of imagination is equal to building one's house on the sand, and that placing too much trust in our own moods, thoughts and emotions can lead to prelest, a serious spiritual illness.

St. Maximos the Confessor said: "The war which the demons wage against us by means of thoughts is more severe than the war they wage by means of material things", and St. Seraphim of Sarov warned in his Spiritual Instructions: "Reverent carefulness is necessary here because this sea - that is, the heart, with its thoughts and desires, which one must cleanse by means of mindfulness - is great and vast, and there are numberless reptiles there (Ps. 103:25), that is, numerous vain, unjust and impure thoughts generated by evil spirits."

Regarding dreams, visions and the importance we are all too quick to assign to ourselves, St. Nikolai Velimirovich writes in his Prologue: "The spiritists of our time accept every appearance from the spiritual world as sent by God and immediately boast that it has been 'revealed' to them. I was myself acquainted with an eighty-year-old monk who was respected by everyone as a great spiritual guide. When I asked him if he had ever seen any being from the spiritual world in his lifetime, he answered me: 'No, never; and praise be to God for his mercy!' Seeing my astonishment at this, he said: 'I have constantly prayed to God that nothing should ever appear to me, lest I fall into illusion and accept a devil disguised as an angel. And, until now, God has heard my prayer."

Speaking about the sweet trickery of imagination and the slippery slope its promises can lead to, St. Nicodemos of the Holy Mountain said: "The devil has a very close relationship and familiarity with the imagination, and of all the power of the soul he has this one is the most appropriate organ to deceive man and to activate his passions and evils. He indeed is very familiar with the nature of the imagination. For he, being created by God originally as a pure and simple mind without form and image, as the other divine angels, later came to love the forms and the imagination. Imagining that he could set his throne above the heavens and become like God, he fell from being an angel of light and became a devil of darkness. St. Dionysios spoke about this devil. 'What is the evil in the devils? Irrational anger; unreasonable desire; and reckless imagination.'" (A Handbook of Spiritual Counsel)

St. Seraphim of Sarov explains the spiritual delusion New Age gurus are tirelessly spinning: "Even a pious person is not immune to spiritual sickness if he does not have a wise guide -- either a living person or a spiritual writer. This sickness is called prelest, or spiritual delusion, imagining oneself to be near to God and to the realm of the divine and supernatural. Even zealous ascetics in monasteries are sometimes subject to this delusion, but of course, laymen who are zealous in external struggles (podvigi) undergo it much more frequently. Surpassing their acquaintances in struggles of prayer and fasting, they imagine that they are seers of divine visions, or at least of dreams inspired by grace. In every event of their lives, they see special intentional directions from God or their guardian angel. And then they start imagining that they are God's elect, and often try to foretell the future. The Holy Fathers armed themselves against nothing so fiercely as against this sickness -- prelest."

Unfortunately, at least on the surface, it seems like New Age and its proponents are gaining in numbers and force. When I visited the local bookstore the other day, it took me an hour to wade through the shelves piled up with books about Tarot, Astrology, Hieromancy, Rune-stones, witchcraft, Buddhism, Krishnaism, satanism, potions, magic, Vedanta, archetypes, Jungianism, Tibetan Buddhism and Lamaism, and New Age-ism of all kinds. Of course, the entrance to the bookstore is now a tunnel that leads through the walls of "Da Vinci Code". There were few books by the Protestant Christian authors available, few about the Pope, a lot about Islam and NOT A SINGLE BOOK WRITTEN BY ANY OF THE ORTHODOX HOLY FATHERS. Not one! Out of thousands of glorious Saints, master-theologians, spiritual Fathers and teachers from all over the world, not one has found his rightful place in the section about "Religion and Spirituality" in most of the largest bookstores in North America.

Therefore, it is quite befitting to recall the story told by St. Ambrose of Optina: "One time a demon was sitting in the form of a man and swinging his legs. One who saw him with his spiritual eyes asked him, 'Why aren’t you doing anything?' The demon answered: 'Nowadays I have nothing to do but swing my legs; people are doing everything better than me." Indeed, we are.

Posted by Svetlana at 08:57 PM | Permalink

Creation is the artist's true function. But it would be a mistake to ascribe creative power to an inborn talent. Creation begins with vision. The artist has to look at everything as though seeing it for the first time. Henry Matisse

Posted by Svetlana at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Today on Orthodox forum Al posted the following message:

"Did anyone see the Oprah show this afternoon? She's covering 'holocausts' and had some pretty graphic pictures of the Serbian ethnic cleansing of Muslims... concentration camps, piles of bodies, raped women. During the display of photos, Oprah said the Serbs killed more than 200,000 Muslims. She said the U.S. bombing of Serbia put an end to the 'carnage'. Comments?"

In Selling the Bosnian Myth to America: Buyer Beware, Lt. Colonel John Sray writes: "America has not been so pathetically deceived since Robert McNamara helped to micromanage and escalate the Vietnam War."

Gregory R. Copley, Editor-in-Chief of Defence and Foreign Affairs Strategic Policy wrote in December of 1992: "Pictures of dead or wounded (or raped) Serbs often fill the screens of the world's television and print media, only to be re-labelled as dead or wounded or raped Croats or Muslims. Many Serbian victims - and the bulk of the victims of the conflict, contrary to popular reports, have been Serbs either from Bosnia and Herzegovina or from Croatia - not only suffer the indignity of defeat in death; they also are used in death as models in the macabre image, manipulation operation of the Croatians and the Muslim Bosnians. If the Vietnam War was lost to the United States by the negative television images of its own reporters, then the Balkan wars against the Serbs are being won by Ustashi Croatia and the Muslim Bosnians by an active, planned manipulation of international television."

Does Oprah have a proof that pictures of mutilated and raped bodies she is showing on her 'holocaust' special are Muslims killed by the Serbs, and not Serbs killed by Muslims or Croats? Can she tell who's who? Because I can't remember how many times have I seen the funeral scenes presented as Muslims crying over their loved ones brutally killed by Serbs, while on the gravestones in the background are freshly carved Serbian names, in Cyrillic alphabet (that not a single Croat or Muslim from former Yugoslavia would use), and oftentimes with crosses on them. There were also numerous cases never reported by CNN, BBC and other representatives of imperial media, of families of Serbian victims having salt poured in their wounds by the same media showing gruesome pictures of their loved ones as Muslims or Croats mutilated by Serbs. It would be nice if Oprah bothered to investigate, instead of parroting the lies repeated for the last 15 years on her show.

Oprah would benefit to learn that most of the atrocities Serbs are blamed for in Bosnia were commited by Bosnian Muslims, in a ruthless propaganda war waged to bring the world's wrath on Serbs. The alleged concentration camps run by Serbs have also been proved to be a propaganda hoax. The only 'camps' Serbs run in the latest series of civil wars that devoured former Yugoslavia were refugee camps, where people were coming for protection and were free to leave at any time - it had nothing to do with Nazi-style concentration camps. But I guess it's too late to tell that to Oprah now.

The most baffling part of her show, though, are the numbers. Where did she get the "200,000 Muslims killed by Serbs" from?! First of all, neither Oprah, nor anyone else can possibly know how many Muslims were killed in the war by Serbs, how many of them were killed by Croats (who fought both with Serbs and Muslims in Bosnia), and how many of Muslims who didn't want to join Bin Laden-Izetbegovic mujahedeen were killed by Muslim jihadists. Where did she get the 200,000 number? It is a nice round number that needs some backing up with facts. Srebrenica "genocide" hasn't produced more than 3000 bodies, of both Muslims and Serbs - the only thing that is clear about that case is that there was a fierce battle in Srebrenica area between Serbian and Muslim forces. Is Oprah counting the alleged "100,000 or 200,000 Albanians killed in Kosovo" State Department claimed prior to bombardment of Serbia? Someone should inform her that FBI along with dozens of foreign forensic teams that poured into Kosovo after the bombardment unearthed around 2000 bodies altogether, both Serbian and Albanian. Around the same number of Serbs were killed with NATO bombs, after the strife in Kosovo has ended. So, where does the 200,000 Muslims killed by Serbs come from? I would really like to know.

Since Oprah couldn't get Dr. Phil or Tom Cruise for her show and decided to, instead, tell the world the 'holocaust' story, I sincerely hope she didn't omit to include the Turkish genocide of 1,5 million Armenians in her "study". Because that horror story, well documented by a number of foreign diplomats, in word and picture, certainly deserves to be called a genocide. Did she go on to tell the world about 750,000 Serbs killed in Croatian concentration camps, along with 60,000 Jews and 30,000 Gypsies? Or, did the word JASENOVAC enter her script anywhere? If not, then Oprah should go back to entertaining housewives and stop talking about the things she knows nothing of.

Not that I doubt her good intentions - I despise the lazy, ignorant, cowardly people thirsting for recognition who jump on the safe wagons and trumpet only the safe "truths", those for which they know no consequences will befall them. While Oprah wouldn't DARE to utter a single word against Muslim aggression, or risk a backlash by letting go of her political correctness when it comes to Muslims, homosexuals or any nation except Serbs, she feels it's perfectly safe to join in with Serb-bashers and further promote the genocidal maniacs, rapists and modern-day fascists brand for Serbs, because everybody else does and nothing has ever happened to them.

Posted by Svetlana at 04:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (1)

A number of people have asked me about iconographer's rules. These are the ones I received from my church. I give them to my students and to anyone interested in writing icons. Just keep in mind that with faith and humility, by allowing yourself to be guided, and with good measure of patience you can create beautiful, ever-lasting traditional icons.

1. Before starting the work, make the sign of the cross. Pray in silence and forgive your enemies.
2. Work with care on every detail of your icon, as if you were working in front of the Lord Himself.
3. Pray during work in order to strengthen yourself physically and spiritually. Above all, avoid all useless words and keep silence.
4. Pray in particular to the Saint whose Image you are writing. Guard your mind from distractions, and the Saint will be close to you.
5. When you have to choose a color, reach out to the Lord inwardly and ask His counsel.
6. Do not be jealous of your neighbor's work - his success is your success too.
7. When your icon is finished, thank the Lord for His Mercy that granted you the grace to paint the Holy Images.
8. Have your icon blessed by putting it in the altar for forty days. Be the first to pray before it, before giving it to others.
9. Never forget the joy of spreading icons in the world, the joy of the work of icon-writing, the joy of serving the Lord shining through the icons, the joy of being in union with the Saint whose Image you are writing.

Posted by Svetlana at 02:09 AM | Permalink

• An Idol

  Icon is not an idol - we do not worship icons. The worship is only extended to God, not to His Saints, and not to icons. If Make yourself no graven images commandment would apply to Orthodox icons, it would also have to apply to the Lord's instruction for building the Arc of the Covenant: "And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover." (Exodus, 25:18-20)
  
  These cherubim that God commanded through Moses to be made are, in fact, the very first icons mankind knows of. They are most certainly the very first icons of incorporeal heavenly powers to which angels, archangels, seraphim and cherubim all belong.
  
  Make yourself no graven images applies to the golden-calf type of idolatry and worshiping anything other then God, since "no man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew, 6:24; Luke 16:13) That's idolatry.

• Blasphemous

  The long ago dealt with iconoclastic accusation influenced primarily by Islam, that making images of God and His Prophets is a blasphemy, unfortunately, can still be heard even among some Christians today. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to say, because it boils down to a form of denial of Christ's Incarnation.
  
  If Christ was not born to a Woman, if He did not choose to "come down to earth and become a Man" for our salvation, if He did not walk among us, if He did not suffer for our sins, if He was not crucified, if He did not resurrect... we would not have the right to write His icons. At the same time, there would be no Christianity and no Christians. Icon is a form of perpetual, ceaseless testimony of God-Man Christ, the Incarnate Lord Who "became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory" (John, 1:14). Icon exists ever since "God is revealed in the flesh" (I Tim. 3:16), it is repeating the same good news that "a Savior has been born to you, He is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11) and it is a part of the Church He built. Furthermore, each icon of Mother of God, Lord's Prophets, Saints and Martyrs we write is a confirmation of Christ's Glory and of His immeasurable love for mankind.

• Merely Another Art-form

  Icon is born in the Church, it is of the Church and it belongs to Church. Without Orthodox Church which incorporated icons into the Holy Liturgy, iconography as we know it today would not be preserved - it would cease to exist long time ago. Iconography is not an expression of one's creativity, since it has nothing to do with imagination and individualism. Icon is a mirror of the Gospels and Holy Tradition to such an extent that even the colors that are mentioned in the Gospels are exclusively used on certain icons, without exception (for example, Christ's robes in the scene of Transfiguration).
  
  At the same time, paintings on religious themes are not icons. Many artists throughout the history have offered their vision of Bible events and their versions of Holy Personages. Some were unsuccessful, some have earned the worldwide praise and fame, but what they created, however beautiful, are not icons.

• Naive or Primitive Art

  People who don't know enough about iconography, the rules it follows and icon's function and place in Church tend to pass condescending remarks leading to conclusion iconography is a "primitive" form of art. I have even heard a non-Orthodox Christian say Byzantine masters "didn't know how to paint", so that's why we have inverted perspective, elongated figures and hieratic, austere compositions. This is pure nonsense and reflection of ignorance.
  
  One only needs to visit few churches in Greece or Serbia (apart from glorious Hagia Sophia in Constantinople and churches in Ravenna, Italy, with mosaics made by Byzantine iconographers Emperor Justinian brought along with him from Constantinople in 6th and 7th century), built and fresco painted before Renaissance, to understand a number of renowned art historians world-wide in their unreserved admiration and appreciation of the Byzantine iconography. Byzantine icon is guided by Church canons and rules that exclude everything profane, sensual, material and naturalistic. Icon has to draw our souls and minds upwards, to spiritual, holy, transcendent, mystical and eternal. And that is precisely what it does.

Posted by Svetlana at 05:19 PM | Permalink

Sophia wrote to say she's giving an icon to a non-Orthodox person and would like to include a description of what icon is with her present. At first I thought my articles about icon tradition, Byzantine icons and non-traditional icons provide enough introductory information to iconography. But additional clarification of the basic iconographic concepts and an answer to the question what icon is may be useful.

Means of Worship and Veneration

Icon's primary function is liturgical. Iconography is one of three ecclesiastical art forms (Church hymns and music are the other two) that is used as a means of worshiping God and venerating His Saints. It serves to lead the soul from the visible to the invisible, from the material to the spiritual. Icons are given honorable reverence by Orthodox Christians that is not equal to worship: "the honor which is given to the icon passes over to the prototype" (St. Basil the Great). Even though God and His Saints do not need the honor we offer them, as Constantine Cavarnos notes, "it is only proper for us to do so (...) as the adoration of God and the admiration of saints are expressions of a soul that sees and loves the beauty of holiness, of spiritual perfection, and feels grateful to the Deity and to holy men for their many benefactions to mankind. Such a response is not merely something proper for us, but is also conductive to our salvation." (Orthodox Iconography, by Constantine Cavarnos)

Window into Heaven

Icon is a window through which we peer into the heavenly realm. We see holy men and women glorified by God, in their transcendent, sanctified bodies and forms.

Theology in Color

Icon helps us learn about our Faith. It faithfully follows the Scripture and illustrates it through Festal icons. This is partly why iconographer is not allowed to improvise and give us her own vision - Scriptures cannot be re-written or changed. It is not a dialogue, an iconographer serves to re-tell the same Story, in colors and forms.

Image and Likeness

If it wasn't for icons, we wouldn't know how St. Nicholas looked. Through icons, we learn St. Nicholas is not a jolly fat man dressed in red velvet pants and white fur, but a dignified Hierarch, Holy Bishop of the Church and a Miracle Worker. Eastern Orthodox Church has preserved the clear and untainted memory for two thousand years. Through generations of faithful iconographers, it has also preserved the images of her Hierarchs, Holy Fathers and Martyrs. Each Holy Image is a prototype that cannot be changed and has to be instantly recognizable by every Christian, even if they can't read the inscription and don't know whose icon we intended to write. This is integral part of Holy Tradition.

Aid to Prayer

Icon helps us focus our minds on prayer and in prayerful contemplation. When we pray in front of an icon of our Lord, Most Holy Theotokos or Saints, we are not addressing the board, or the painting on it, but the one whose image it represents. Church, like a true Body of Christ with Him as its Head, is an Arc of Salvation for sinful men and made to fit our measure, not some unattainable ideal. And men who learned they have a Living God in Person have a need to address their Protectors as those who are ever-present, with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Reminder

Icon is a constant reminder of the Heavenly Church we belong to and the Heavenly Communion we take part in when taking our place in Holy Liturgy. Church is not just this or that temple where we worship our Lord, it is comprised of all its members, living and passed, the Clergy, Apostles, all of our Holy Fathers and Martyrs. We are all members of One, Holy, Catholic (Universal) and Apostolic Church Whose Head is Christ. "My beach is my church" may work for some, but it has nothing to do with actual Church, established by Christ, where we worship Him fully and properly.

Ideal Models

Icon arouses us to imitate the virtues of the Holy Personages depicted on them. Icon is an inspiration to Orthodox Christian who strives to better himself. It helps transform our characters, it lifts our spirits up and motivates us morally and spiritually.

Posted by Svetlana at 09:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I read of people signing business deals over a cup of coffee, deciding to get a divorce during a coffee break, or breaking other people's marriages when they get together for a coffee. Nothing remotely dramatic has ever happened to me on a coffee break. Apart from occasional bum stopping by to ask for change or a cigarette, nothing dramatic occurs around my coffee, period.

And a significant portion of my daily life revolves around coffee. I have writing coffee breaks, sketching coffee breaks, let's-get-together-for-a-coffee coffee breaks, planning coffee breaks and people watching coffee breaks. Of all those, the last one is most fraught with danger of being interrupted by someone who's on his people watching coffee break and thinks this coffee break can be successfully morphed into a let's-get-together-over-a-coffee break. No, different types of coffee breaks cannot be merged and when I'm on my writing, sketching, planning or people watching break, we can't have a let's-chat-and-get-to-know-each-other break. I'm very particular that way.

There must be some yet to be discovered ingredient in coffee that makes one write better, and if they ever need a human guinea-pig, I'll volunteer. I wrote my best stories on writing coffee breaks, all of them in Serbian and half of them no one is allowed to read. They can be published when I die. But I know they're good and they'll earn me a posthumous fame some day.

My sketching coffee breaks are much less successful: no one will sit still and people get extra-fidgety when they notice someone is drawing them. So, I fill my sketchbooks with buildings, streets and store fronts and it's boring me to death already - it's colorless, dull and predictable.

I have noticed people are starting to have a whole new kind of let's-get-together coffees, where they chat on their cellphones while sipping a cappuccino in a coffee shop. I guess the person on the other side is having a coffee in a Starbucks few blocks further, and they "get together" via the cellphone. And, speaking of cellphones, some don't seem to be able to walk without talking any more. They are either by themselves or they take their dogs for a walk with phone headsets on and they talk and laugh all along down the street, behind the corner, and few blocks up. It still takes me few moments to remember these guys and girls are not completely gone off their rocker, but very important loquacious people who can't miss a call. After all, what he said to her and what she said to him in return has a ring of urgency that couldn't possibly be postponed or relegated to the privacy of one's own home, could it?

It may be becoming a rarity these days, but I have a number of let's-have-a-coffee friends with whom I sit to talk. At the same table, I mean, so that we actually look at each other above our foamy, steamy coffee cups, so that we can touch each other to offer comfort and bathe in each other's smiles. Out of all the other coffee breaks, those shared with friends are the best.

Posted by Svetlana at 01:17 PM | Permalink

Summer doesn't arrive in Vancouver - it explodes here. After endless months of wintry rains and dreariness clothed in dull shades of gray, without proper announcement, Vancouver wakes up to a blazing summer day, lit by fiery floral bulbs and crowned with thick bushes of shameless reds and electric greens. The sky dresses up in candy-blue silk, the trees grow heavy elaborate tiaras of emeralds and amber where they let the Moon rest when it gets heavy with gold.

Afterwards, even the rain assents, turning every crystal drop into a mirror in which the summer glory bathes.

On the downside, you can't find a single free chair in any of the 1,8 million Starbuckses, nor in any of the Blenzes out of 986,000 of them opened in Vancouver.

Posted by Svetlana at 12:58 PM | Permalink

A while back I watched a special about contemporary Japanese artists. Among them was an amazingly prolific guy who was producing weird stuff out of odds and ends he'd find around - everything from paper clips and soda cans, to strips of silk and handmade paper. He said he has a one-a-day rule and insists on creating one piece of art each day. His tiny Tokyo apartment was chock-full of clangy, clunky, scrappy bits and they showed him frantically working on another one of those, on a futon, framed by his art.

It made me laugh, because I have the same rule, and there was a point in time when my poor husband got freaked out and felt he had to ask, very nicely and cautiously: "Honey, how many of those do you intend to make?...Not that I mind, only there's no more room to hang them..." When my icons and paintings started to sell there were no more wall-space issues, though. (Men!)

One-a-day is a great rule, although I don't insist on finishing one piece of art a day, just that one creative thing has to be done daily. It can be anything, from working on a new web page (or a blog entry!), to writing, painting, or working on icon. On some days making a floral arrangement will have to do, on others it will be a whole new painting. But it certainly keeps the creative juices flowing, even when you don't feel like it.

Posted by Svetlana at 01:36 AM | Permalink

Even though the votes haven't been entirely counted yet, some Montenegrins are already celebrating independence from Serbia. Mass media was all too quick to announce a "narrow victory" (around 55% of the votes) of Montenegro's pro-independence block, and eager to report jubilation in the streets of Montenegro's cities, people shooting up in the air and a slogan 'E viva Montenegro' scanted by the mob in Montenegro's capital, Podgorica -- the same slogan was last time shouted during occupation of Montenegro by Nazi Italy. BBC has even managed to dig out a Croatian "Balkan analyst" from somewhere, who used her two minutes on BBC World News to string all the keywords necessary for a gratuitous block of anti-Serb bashing. Following the well rehearsed scenario, the EU suspended negotiations with Serbia only few weeks before the vote was due, providing additional ammunition for secessionist block when it was most needed.

The tiny republic with a population of a medium size city (around 600,000), with virtually no industry and heavily relying upon Serbia in every regard: jobs, tourists, industry, trade, army, even joint sports teams in world competitions, was being trained for this day during the past decade.

Montenegro's Great Leader, Milo Djukanovic, was on a verge of being indicted by the Hague for his role in the shelling of Dubrovnik, but the investigation was quickly dropped, along with Croatia's charges. He is also known as the Tobacco Smuggling King, closely connected to Italian and Albanian mafia trafficking drugs, arms, cigarettes and people. At one point, Milo Djukanovic was investigated by the Italian police and threatened to be charged along with the other smugglers and criminals, but that obstacle to his unquestionable rule was also efficiently removed. There are reports that out of 200 cars Montenegro's government officials are being driven around in, only 5 vehicles are legally obtained, bought and paid for, and have the proper papers. In such a climate where crime is the only viable "industry", it is no wonder many have concluded Milo Djukanovic presides over a Smuggling Enterprise, rather than a government.

Despite everything, Montenegro was financed by Germany and European Union to replace Yugoslavia's currency -- dinar -- with Deutsche Marks, and than with euros. Around the same time, Montenegro's pro-European leaders and their Western trainees started propping up an obscure defrocked "priest" to establish the Montenegrin "church" that would create a schism within Serbian Orthodox Church and divide Montenegrins even further. Anyone who knows the first thing about Eastern Orthodox Church, knows that in order for a church to be accepted as canonical it has to be recognized by other Sister Churches and in Communion with them. Montenegro "church" is neither recognized by any canonical Orthodox Church, nor in Holy Communion with them. It is a political organization, established to divide and spread animosity between Montenegrins and Serbs. The final straw that brought much ridicule to Montenegro and was equated with a full-fledged farce, was a decree by Montenegro's Academy of Science and Arts proclaiming that Montenegrins do not speak Serbian, but a "Montenegrin language" (which just happens to be exactly the same as Serbian).

The preparations for the referendum were marred by a scandal that was quickly swept under the carpet: a documentary that showed Montenegro's officials paying secret visits to voters who were expected to vote against secession from Serbia. Stubborn pro-union Montenegrins were being promised monthly pay checks, paid off mortgages, new cars, bills and debts taken care of, in some cases in return for their ID cards, to make sure they can't take part in the referendum. In view how the last such referendum, held in 2001 in Montenegro abysmally failed even after the consistent reports of serious irregularities, bribery and paying for votes in the latest attempt at secession should come as no surprise.

Many of the rules set for the referendum were also hotly disputed. One of them was that not one of around 300,000 Montenegrins living and working in Serbia were allowed to cast their vote for or against independence. The fact some 150 charter flights were organized for Montenegrins living in States, Western Europe and around the world -- anywhere BUT Serbia -- to enable them to arrive in time to Podgorica and cast their vote, made this decision even more incomprehensible.

Another important point, made by an actual Balkan analyst, Diana Johnstone, is something the celebrating part of Montenegro should take note of. Speaking about Montenegro's referendum she says:

Of course this is not affecting Serbia only but also Montenegro. They [western media, Milo Djukanovic and his America/western lobbyists et al.] are saying, 'Look Serbia is terrible, Serbia is a pariah. If you are attached to Serbia you are not going anywhere.' So this is a way of pushing people in Montenegro to vote for independence of Montenegro, which will, in my view, put people of Montenegro in great danger. Many of the votes in favor of Montenegrin independence will come from ethnic minorities, particularly Albanians who have a project to attach Montenegro, which is very small, to Albania or to Kosovo and to turn Montenegrins into a minority in an Albanian controlled entity. So, the voices are saying 'Albania is good - Serbia is bad!' Leading to the conclusion that 'Montenegrins are better off with Albanians then with the Serbs', which is very strange.

Indeed, a number of Montenegro cities and towns are entirely Albanian, and it shouldn't come as a surprise if, a decade or so down the road, next generation of Montenegro's Academia proclaims Montenegrins, in fact, speak Albanian. Only this time it won't be funny.

Posted by Svetlana at 05:53 PM | Permalink

Does that look like me? No, really, is that how I actually look? I'm not quite sure what's that thing on my head, but I guess drawing hair is a pain. And, yes, I do wear a cross around my neck, but it isn't the size of a golf club, and I certainly don't have crosses hanging all over me, like a Christmas tree. And I have never - ever in my life, waived one in my hand (I leave that to my Fathers). Also, if one would allow facts to get in the way, I stopped wearing pinks and purples in the third grade.

I have also noticed that the nine year old artist who painted me the other day wasn't even looking at me while working -- the master was sitting with his back turned to me, to be precise. Because he knows me so well. Unlike any other artist who would undertake the painful task, Aleksa doesn't need to measure the length of my nose, or the distance between my eyes, nor is he to be bothered with the exact shade of my jeans and the fact I had a bad hair day (if the "day" keeps on, I'll soon forget what a good hair day means).

Aleksa and I became best friends when I stopped bringing him books and chocolate bars, and got him a pile of computer games. When I managed to upload some of the space-guzzlers on his computer after his failed attempts, I earned the "you're GOOOOOD!!!" status and an open invitation to join him in the never-ending battle against trolls, or for carrot-stick points, or something to that effect. I was his art and iconography teacher in Sunday school, and I wrote icons of Christ Pantocrator and Mother of God for his home. His mother -- a very good friend of mine and my bride's maid -- told me Aleksa thinks I'm super-smart because I never mix English words in when I speak Serbian. So, he knows me. He knows me so well, he can draw a picture of me with his eyes closed.

And, truth be told, regardless of all the minutiae, that is me. In some strange way, while getting most of the details wrong, Aleksa got the gist of it, the emotion and the substance right. Isn't that all that really matters?

Posted by Svetlana at 11:59 AM | Permalink

In yesterday's 'Story Behind the Story', entitled "Iran: Jews, Christians Must Wear Badges", NewsMax.com reports:

"In a move reminiscent of the Nazis forcing Jews to wear a Star of David insignia, Iran’s parliament has reportedly passed a law requiring Jews, Christians and other religious minorities to wear color-coded badges to identify them as non-Muslims."

If the law is approved, Iran's Jews will have to wear (yet again!) the yellow and Christians red strip of cloth, to make them instantly recognizable as non-Muslims.

While the purging of remaining Christians in Kosovo by Albanian Muslims continues unabated, bringing the Serbian province closer to amputation with every Serb mutilated and killed, Muslim Turkey remains the Asian country most-cheered and supported by Western leaders for inclusion into the European Union.

The fact Turkey has never suffered consequences or had to even acknowledge the role its government and army played in the slaughter of over 1,5 million of Armenian Christians in 1915 doesn't seem to bother anyone. In today's article published by The Independent, Robert Fisk demonstrates Turkey officials' arrogant denial of the genocide, although it is a well-documented, heinous crime on an unimaginable scale.

Still, following their tried-and-true quasi-democratic system of repeating referendums until the desired result is obtained, it is to be expected that Turkey joins the European Union sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, another look at some less advertised, but widely accepted customs might help further in defining this specific brand of Peace, Love and Tolerance.

Posted by Svetlana at 08:05 PM | Permalink

When icon brushes become too small (and they seem to be shrinking all the time), and egg tempera feels as impossible as trying to paint with thin air, a large, healthy quantity of messy oils feels like a trip to an exotic island. Or going back to childhood.

It doesn't matter how it turns out, there are no mistakes. The brushes are big and fat and chunky, the colors can and should be mixed all they want, the whole thing can overlap and be barely recognizable in the end -- it's all good! You don't have to have a drawing, not even a sketch. A vague idea of what you'd like to do is enough and, in any case, things will add themselves up as you go.

How to Paint an Angel of Color and Light:

1. Dip a brush in luscious silky paint and start.
2. Make some orange, add white to your yellows and blues, add blue to your reds and use everything in between.
3. Make room for wings and halo.
4. Skip the details, the hands, the nose, the lips, the shadows...
5. Add more thick paint towards the end.

Then go back to your icon.

Posted by Svetlana at 01:37 PM | Permalink

Learning to un-design is not an easy task for artist/designer. It's easy to get paranoid over the role details play in a big picture, so going back to basics becomes a matter of discipline.

It is more like un-learning, since you stop asking: What would enhance this page/painting/room/corner? and start thinking: What is the bare minimum that is sufficient? Where is the magic line that separates clear and clean from fluff? Learning how to get rid of extras, of bells and whistles and pair down a clutter of pretty must be an art-form in itself.

Among iconographer's rules there is one that cannot be over-emphasized: Fast of the eyes. An iconographer needs to practice eye fasting -- turning off the TV, getting her head out of fashion magazines, removing herself from the incessant noise colors and shapes create -- and focus on the essentials. Clean forms, clear colors, pure geometry. That is enough.

Posted by Svetlana at 04:55 PM | Permalink