

UPDATED DESCRIPTION:
A Wisdom School workshop with renowned iconographer Peter Pearson
THURSDAY–SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13–15, 2025, registration required.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 6:30–9 P.M.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 6:30–9 P.M.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 9 A.M.–4 P.M.
(additional session Sunday afternoon, February 16, if needed)
DEADLINE TO REGISTER: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Icons have served since the earliest days of Christianity as spiritual aids, and they have enjoyed something of a renaissance of spiritual purpose in recent times. Byzantine Iconography is a highly structured and disciplined art form which combines prayer and painting techniques to create serene images of Christ, Mary, the angels and the saints following centuries old guidelines.
Peter Pearson, a Franciscan, has been studying and painting icons for more than fifty years and teaching others to do so for over half that time. No previous experience or natural talent is required. We paint, pray, and follow the contemplative process, step by step, guided by Peter. Participants will be invited to envision and paint an icon image of Christ (guided by a prototype of Peter’s).
Fee: $450, includes all supplies and snacks and selected meals across the three days (two evenings, and Saturday). Class size is limited and just a few spots remain; first come, first served.
Register below or using this form. Deadline to register: February 1.
After you submit the form, look in your confirmation email for instructions about how to submit payment. Contact Erik Donner for payment assistance: edonner@saintmarks.org or 206.323.0300 ext. 217
Sunday Sermon & Forum
Peter Pearson will also lead a Cathedral Commons forum on Wednesday, February 12 for the broader community (see below), offer a guest sermon at 9 and 11 a.m. on Sunday, February 16, and participate in an informal "Friends Talking" Sunday Morning Forum with Dean Thomason in the 10 a.m. hour on Sunday, February 16.
Exhibition in the Nave
In conjunction with his workshop, sermon, and forums, members of the Saint Mark's Visual Arts Ministry is presenting an exhibition of a selection of sacred icons by Peter Pearson. There are 18 icons in total, each painted with acrylic paint on wooden panels using traditional Byzantine methods and varnished to protect the surface. A page identifying the title of each icon is available on the bench by the exhibition, and can also be viewed online here.
Almost all of the icons displayed are available for sale. A price list can be found on the bench by the exhibition in Compline Corner. Icons may be purchased from Fr. Pearson directly. If you are interested in purchasing one, email visualarts@saintmarks.org and they will put you in touch with him.
WEDNESDAY CATHEDRAL COMMONS FORUM
Icons: Portals of Sacred Beauty
WEDNESDAY, FEBRAURY 12, 6:45–8:15 P.M., in Bloedel Hall and on Zoom
Byzantine iconography is an ancient and deeply prayerful art form in the Christian tradition, dating back nearly to the apostolic times. Over the centuries, it has evolved and developed as the faith spread throughout the world. Iconography follows a highly systematic and disciplined process which has been handed from teacher to student for centuries. It’s also a very comprehensively demanding educational course for those who want to explore and master the technical, historical, and spiritual aspects of this field. Fr. Peter Pearson, a Franciscan, will guide a reflection and conversation on icons, their use in worship and contemplative practice, and their contribution to art and beauty across generations. All are welcome.
About the instructor
Peter Pearson has been on this path for fifty four years, after being introduced to an icon by his elementary school art teacher. He’s painted thousands of icons and has introduced scores of students to the process. At this point, Peter has studied with more than a dozen master iconographers, including Nina Bouroff, Phillip Zimmerman, Nicholas Papas, Charles Rohrbacher, Valentin Streltsov, Damian Higgins, Xenia Pokrovsky, and Michael Kapeluck. He holds an Masters of Divinity in Sacred Theology from Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and recently completed a Doctorate in Sacred Theology with a thesis on Byzantine icons and spirituality.
Peter is the author of three books on iconography—including A Brush with God: An Icon Workbook and Another Brush with God: Further Conversations about Icons—and is working on a fourth. He regularly offers workshops and lectures on iconography around the country. He’s a sought after speaker with enthusiasm and the ability to make complicated issues accessible to every audience. His icons grace the walls of churches, monasteries, and homes throughout the world.
Peter is also a priest and a Brother in the Community of Francis and Clare in the Episcopal Church.
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