CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL An Episcopal Community in the Heart of Houston, Texas
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Layering paints and prayers to produce iconography As frequent participants in the Iconography workshops offered by the Religion & the Arts Council, Jan Baker and Wick Rowland well understand that “writing” iconography is a spiritual process as well as an art form layered with symbolism. Workshop participants learn Russian-Byzantine iconography techniques developed in the 15th century. They work in egg-tempera, ground pigments, and 24-karat gold leaf. The thin layering of paint is accompanied by attention to iconographic canon and principles, including prayer and meditation. Although both women are artists, artistic ability is not necessary when participating in the workshop, which is offered at least twice a year and led by master iconographer Irene Pérez. Since the workshops meet for six full days, participation is a time commitment — one worth making, however, said several
Wick Roland at the iconography workshop.
participants at the summer session as they worked on the icon of Archangel Michael as
ICONOGRAPHY, page 6
The Angels of the At Risk Youth Program BY FRANCES KITTRELL
LEFT TO RIGHT: LINDA MURPHY, BARBARA MANLY, AND MARGOT CATER, THE THREE ORIGINAL ANGELS
Imagine you are weeks from high school graduation. Your classmates are worried about what to wear to the prom and who their dates will be, but you have more pressing concerns. You need to figure out how you will manage to stay in school until graduation. You live in a car; your single-parent, drug-addicted mother is in jail. If you can stay in school to graduate, you will be salutatorian of your class. This young woman needed an angel to step in
RISK, page 2
Those with whom we travel The following is Dean Thompson’s reflection on the Cathedral Costa Rica Mission Trip, June 26–July 3. I’m not going to kid you: The little school in Estrada, Costa Rica, in which our Cathedral mission team worked, was hot. Add to the spiking outdoor temperature low ceilings, poor ventilation, fifty local kids, and our mission team, and the sum was an often sweltering hot box. THE VERY REV. Of course, Estrada’s BARKLEY THOMPSON children were accustomed to the heat, and our team made the best of it. But there were those in the little school who endured conditions even hotter. Each day when our team arrived at 8:30 a.m., two women — Angela and Nuria — were already in the small kitchen. They’d been there for some time, in fact. And in that space they labored each day until noon over a hot stove (yes, a hot stove on top of all other heat) chopping, mixing, stirring, and cooking the daily feast they would serve us for lunch. The menu always included freshlymade pico de gallo, rice and beans, mashed potatoes, and a different meat dish. Angela and Nuria went about their labor quietly and graciously. They never complained, and they never sought commendation. They are members of the Estrada church — volunteers — who set aside their own family duties (of which I know they had many) to extend the most incredible hospitality to us in the most inhospitable working conditions. I was awed by them, and on the last day in Estrada I did my best to use my awkward and limited Spanish to thank and bless them.
TRAVEL, page 8