Icon painted by Tina Vieira, photo by artist
Visio Divina—the prayerful practice of contemplating a sacred image—begins long before anyone gazes upon the finished work. It starts with the artists themselves, whose hands, hearts, and attention become instruments of prayer as they “write” an icon. This was the experience of a group of first–time iconographers at Holy Cross Church.
Holy Cross is blessed with artists of every kind, and in late 2025 several of our visual artists felt called to offer an icon- writing class. Ten courageous participants stepped into this ancient tradition, guided by Ann Maloney Mason, Roy Nunes, and Debra Collins.
“I was so grateful for the opportunity to share my artistic gifts with my Christian community,” Roy reflected. “It was a truly humbling experience to witness the spiritual growth of this little group of new iconographers. Serving alongside these wonderfully supportive and warm hearted people has filled my heart with joy and a renewed sense of peace.”
Roy Nunes describes an icon painting technique to participants. Photo by Debra Collins
The class opened with a brief exploration of Orthodox icons and Mexican retablos, grounding students in the history and theology of sacred imagery. From there, time, materials, and gentle instruction created space for each artist to develop a personal interpretation of the Good Shepherd. Week by week, they gathered to paint, pray, and reflect—discovering how creativity can become a doorway into deeper relationship with the divine.
Participant Emilie Nepveux later reflected on the artistic process: “I just had to trust the process… just like in all creative things I do. It’s confusing at first—totally out of my comfort zone. Then you just keep going… you’re going to end somewhere. Just keep fussing a bit with it, asking questions, redoing the perceived mistakes, and eventually you can see the path you have been on and, to a degree, where you are headed. If you don’t like it, you can change course to improve the outcome. I thought some of my ideas were not doable—which of course some of them were not. But some of them worked out.”
Emilie Nepveux applies gold leafing to her icon. Photo by Debra Collins
While the work itself was contemplative, the atmosphere each week was anything but solemn. Laughter, encouragement, and a lively sense of play filled the room. It turns out the creative Holy Spirit delights in joy just as much as devotion.
Participants staying focused on the minute details within their icon designs. Photo by Debra Collins
When every artist completed their icon, the community gathered for an exhibition in the parish hall. Following the tradition of this sacred art form, the icons were then blessed by the Very Reverend Jeff Dodge-Hogarth, marking the culmination of weeks of prayer, creativity, and shared discovery.
The Very Reverend Jeff Dodge-Hogarth blessing the icons. Photo by Debra Collins
Parishioner Terry Miller’s reaction to the display captured the spirit of the event: “The resulting icons are stunningly beautiful, with colors, textures, and attention to detail that immediately engage and delight the viewer. Each distinct image of Jesus invites interaction and an opportunity for a spiritual connection. This has truly been a transformational experience on so many levels!”
All in all, this was a joyful and deeply meaningful experience for everyone involved. A second session of icon writing will begin in March, with a Guardian Angel as the focus.
The finished icons by the artists (starting at the upper left) Glenda Vieira, Roy Nunes, Ann Maloney-Mason, Pamela Lowe, Karen Sheffield, Tina Vieira, Jill Gidlund, Estella Magallanes, and Annabelle Nunes. Photos by the artists
