![]() ![]() The act of painting the icons has given Miller the opportunity to meditate on biblical figures, and their stories, deeply. ![]() When Miller is painting an icon she becomes like a grain of sand, aware that she is part of a much larger vision in the eyes of God. Images that speak of the divine, of history, of mystics, of people who prayed their whole lives.” Each grain is a part of something immense and beautiful, much bigger than if they had been left on their own. What could get more insignificant than that? But out of these tiny little particles of dirt comes these amazing images. “It’s pushing around teeny tiny particles of dirt. ![]() It’s got a message for humanity in the act of painting them.” The ancient style demands a certain type of structure, “but the act of painting teaches you about the depth of who you are in the sight of God.” Miller’s painting studio is a haven where she embraces the purpose that was placed in her heart. “The beauty of iconography, although it may look traditional to many people, it’s not only a beautiful image and art form,” says Miller, “it’s got the spiritual components of beautiful behavior in theology. I never get tired of looking at icons.”Īt times, Miller has wrestled with her choice to paint in a style that is more than fifteen hundred years old, but she sees the spiritual root of iconography as the source of its continued relevancy. I found what really feeds my soul.” The ancient Orthodox style is “one of the highest resonances of beauty for me. “When I was 45 I realized that I wanted to paint these images until I die and if I stop painting them I’m never going to go back to artwork. “I never thought that I would be one of those artists that was driven.” Yet, iconography gave Miller a distinct connection to her creativity and her soul when weighted against the former ways that she had used her gifts. Before she painted icons, Miller provided creative services for the purpose of paying the bills – jewelry, furniture design, painting mural. The marriage of depth and whit is what displays her humbleness. I love nature, I love life, and I love God.”ĭespite her articulate and deeply passionate words about iconography, Miller says, “I don’t think I’ve ever been an artist.” She speaks with a balance of self-awareness and a sense of humor. “I just thought ‘My God, I can push little particles with dirt around in an egg yolk emulsion and create beauty.’ It blended everything that I’m about. So, your mixing life with eternity and you create a divine image, images of Jesus, Mary, the apostles, and saints.” The practice resonates with Miller personally and spiritually. “The medium is egg tempera, a recipe combining egg yolk which symbolizes the raw potential for life” Miller explains, “ mixed with million-year-old dirt, which is symbolic of eternity. Combined they expose a sense of awe and eternity. The materials used in this sacred art form are a meeting of past and present, the earth and the divine, flesh and spirit. Within the act itself, she sees a reflection of her own beliefs. Her reverence for iconography led her to study the ancient painting techniques in depth. ![]() Mary Jane Miller is not Orthodox, or a trained artist, but for the past twenty years she has practiced the tradition of Byzantine style iconography daily. ![]()
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