The Iconographer's Prayer

My time since attending the Iconographic Institute has been spent doing two things: preparing for my younger daughter's wedding, and painting pictures for our joint art show in February. I retired from teaching some seven years ago and have done little painting in that time. I decided to apply for a show at the art center in our town so that I could focus on getting back into painting. For years in my spare time I have been working in non-objective abstract expressionism, as my paintings explored composition, colorful detail, and light.

However, the experience at the Icon Institute definitely had an effect on me. Eight days of relative silence at the monastery, prayer, and my introduction to an entirely new medium and spiritual concept slowed me down. I felt more meditative as I painted. The music of the beautiful Russian Liturgy evanesced through the classroom all day long. The Iconographer's prayer was said each morning before class as our teacher blessed us with incense. Here is this beautiful prayer:

O Divine Lord of all that exists,

Thou hast illumined the Apostle and Evangelist Luke with Your Most Holy Spirit, thereby enabling him to represent thy most Holy Mother; the one who held Thee in Her arms and said: 'The Grace of Him Who has been born of me is spread throughout the world. '
Enlighten and direct my soul,
my heart and my spirit.
Guide the hands of Thine unworthy servant, so that I may worthily and
perfectly portray Thine icon, that of Thy Mother and all the saints,
for the glory and adornment of Thy Holy Church.
Forgive my sins and the sins of those who will venerate these icons,
and who, kneeling devoutly before them, give homage to those they represent.
Protect them from all evil and instruct them with good counsel.
This I ask through the intercession of Thy Most Holy Mother,
the Apostle Luke, and all the Saints. Amen.