Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts is delighted to announce that students and alumni of the College have been selected to participate in an iconography workshop under the 
renowned iconographer George Kordis. This extraordinary program, “Writing the Light,” will be held in Athens and Crete late this summer. Through generous benefactors, Ms. Keri Wiederspahn, who is a member of the faculty at Magdalen and a student of George Kordis, has facilitated this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Held primarily on the inspiring and peaceful island of Crete, this summer icon program balances immersive studio learning each day with additional trips to churches and monasteries as a part of the inspirational curriculum–along with shared lunches and curated evenings of food, discussion, music, and poetry.
The learning intensive will begin in Athens at Dr. Kordis’s “Mets Art Center” with a focus on honing drawing skills and a chance to visit various key examples of Dr. Kordis’ work locally as well as visit the Byzantine Museum together. The group will then travel by boat to Crete to continue learning through focused techniques in egg tempera painting at the Orthodox Academy of Crete (OAC)–a unique sanctuary that houses several chapels, an extensive library, and two museums on site where students will both live and work for the duration.
Dr. Kordis has a passion for sharing the beauty of writing (painting) icons and is a true master of the creative and contemplative process that leads both beginners and more advanced students deeper into the skills and creative artistry required for creating beautiful Christian icons rooted in the Byzantine tradition.
Learning from Dr. Kordis has been a life-changing creative and inspirational highlight for many people venturing into the practice of iconography. His teaching style is both gentle and encouraging while being clear and deeply engaged in the individual strengths and skills of each student.
Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts’ own iconography courses are taught by Keri Wiederspahn and are part of the college’s larger “Arts of the Beautiful Program” and concentration in the fine arts. Through these programs, students immerse themselves in the visual, musical, and dramatic arts during their fours of studies. These on-campus experiences—within and beyond the classroom—are complemented by off-campus experiences in the museums, theaters, and concert halls of greater New England.
For more information about the “Writing the Light” programs, please visit here. For more information about the “Arts of the Beautiful” Program and “Fine Arts Concentration” at Magdalen College of the Liberal Arts, please visit here.