About the North Florida Iconography Institute
The North Florida Iconography Institute was founded in 1994 with the support of Sr. Christine Kelly, Sister of Saint Joseph, who serves as director of the St. John Neumann Renewal Center for Spiritual Growth in Tallahassee, Florida. The idea originated in 1992 when three friends from Tallahassee, Toni Hepburn, Marion McDanield and Florence Detzner, attended an icon workshop at Mount Angel Abbey in St. Benedict, Oregon. The following year, Irene Kearney joined Toni and Marion at Mount Angel Abbey. All continued to pursue the study of iconography. At the time, most iconography workshops were located in the northern or western part of the United States. While they continued attending far-flung workshops, they found that instructors would be willing to visit Tallahassee to teach if accommodations and studio space were made available. Sister Christine pledged to provide both, and the first Icon Retreat was held at the St. John Neumann Renewal Center in January 1994. It was an overwhelming success. Today, the North Florida Iconography Institute continues to attract participants of all faiths and artistic styles. Several notable iconographers have taught at The Icon Institute, including Charles Rohrbacher, Heather MacKean, and Mother Catherine, of the St. Andrews School of Iconography in Indianapolis, Indiana. Kathy Sievers joined the institute as resident instructor in 2009. The institute’s mission is to provide participants with the opportunity to grow into a deeper understanding of iconography as it is taught in the Orthodox Christian tradition. Because the roots of iconography lie in theology, the creation of an icon involves more than aesthetic and technique. The Icon Retreat provides time for each participant to attain a deeper and richer understanding of this type of expressed spirituality. It is something you must experience for yourself to truly appreciate! We find that participants...
...come to a deeper understanding of their relationship with Christ through the exploration of the theology, aesthetics and technique of creating icons.
...utilize the retreat environment to grow spiritually.
...utilize the retreat experience to apply tolerance, patience and dedication when creating an icon.
.. experience fellowship and engage in activities that foster interpersonal growth
The institute operates under the auspices of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Tallahassee, Florida, a Church of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee Catholic Church and is located at the Saint John Neumann Renewal Center, 685 Miccosukee Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32308.
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