Join our Guild

I began my iconography journey in 2017 at the invitation of my fellow Carmelites. It has been a grace and blessing in my life to explore this prayerful art form with such beautiful, faithful souls who love Our Lord and His Church. Veronica Royal is an excellent teacher, and her workshops have taught me so much, in such a short time. I look forward to continuing this prayerful journey with the guild.

Learning to paint Holy Icons has been one of life’s unexpected joys. The prayerful and meditative practice of icon writing has personally strengthened my inner soul and enriched my relationship with Christ. The opportunity to paint sacred images, once venerated in the past, now revealed again to shine anew onto a contemporary audience, is a gift from God.

I began my icon writing journey in the year 2015 after seeing the iconography of the Seven Sorrows of Blessed Virgin Mary, which was written by Ms. Veronica Royal. This inspired me to write. Writing icons helps me to meditate on the image I am working with. I am right there in the presence of the Lord and every line or stroke I make is my prayer. Looking and writing sacred images helps me to venerate or worship deep within the heart of my soul.

I hightly recommend Ms. Veronica Royal if you are thinking about studying to become an iconographer. We have a workshop on Saturday mornings. She is a great teacher and instructor. I already learned so much in the nearly four years I have been with her. I enjoy every minute of Saturday workshops. Icon  writing is my weekend retreatㅡit calms my soul and brings me closer to God.

My interest in iconography began in the early 1990’s when I first saw the icons in St. Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC. I began writing/painting icons at a workshop offered at Epiphany of Our Lord church in Annandale, VA. The iconographic workshops I’ve attended has brought many wonderful people and new spiritual experiences into my life.  From the very first, iconography has been a source of many blessings, and I know will continue to be so.

I have been fascinated and interested in icons after first seeing them at the Ukrainian National Shrine in Washington, DC. Since learning to paint icons under the tutelage of Veronica Royal, I have discovered a beautiful and inspirational way to pray and grow closer to Jesus, His Blessed Mother, and the Saints. I give thanks to God for this incredible journey.

I started icon painting because I wanted an icon. A good friend introduced me to icon painting and my first icon painting class was in 2004. Since then I have studied with American and international iconographers, and in the last few years with Veronica Royal. I find that icon painting is very meditative and one gets very close to the Lord.

Teresa was introduced to iconography in 2014 by Veronica Royal who encouraged her to attend a workshop even with her limited paint by numbers background. Her love of her Carmelite Vocation and the contemplative practices of iconography were easily merged.  Teresa spent four weeks in Greece, studying at the Byzantine School of Iconography with Theodore Papadopoulos. She has also attended workshops with Philip Davydov of Russia, George Kordis of Greece and Daniel Neculae of Romania.  Her interests in iconography extend beyond the mediums of egg tempera and acrylic paints. She has also attended workshops from Hexaemeron Ecclesial Arts in icon carving  and fresco painting. Her icon of the Mother of God was featured in an article in The Record about Veronica Royal entitled “Ancient art form of iconography called ‘Scripture in paint’”. Several of her icons are currently in private collections.  Teresa aims to bring forth icons that point to something beyond ourselve​s.