Icons in The American Style is an exhibition of icons in the developing contemporary American style.  The emerging American style can be differentiated from that of the Greek or Russian in a number of ways.  Deborah Sokolove has said that the style is known by “a distinct brightness, clarity, simplification of form and a crispness of line making.” 

The medium used to paint may not be the traditional egg tempera, but acrylic.  In addition to these visual differences, the subject matter one finds in the work of American iconographers may differ from the traditional list of subjects depicted in Orthodox iconography.  Peter Pearson’s icons show the influence of the Russian style of icon writing where as the icons of Thomas Xenakis represent the Greek.

Peter Pearson has practiced iconography for over forty years.  Pearson spent fifteen years studying on his own until 1984, when he began to study under a number of well known iconographers with backgrounds varying from the Russian tradition to the Greek. Pearson’s icons can be found in numerous private collections, churches and institutions around the world.  In addition to his work as a priest he teaches courses, workshops and retreats throughout the U.S. where his students learn not only the technical aspects of creating icons but the spiritual. He encourages his students to treat each brush-stroke as an offering to God.

Thomas Xenakis began writing icons in 1987.  In 1994 he traveled to Greece to the Holy Mount Athos, considered the center of Eastern Orthodox monasticism where he studied the theology and techniques of the Greek style of icon writing.  Xenakis says of icons:

The contemplative time during the painting of the icon is most important for me.  I do not allow the product to overwhelm and pressure the process…  I paint only about 8 -10 icons a year, I enjoy that.  I want the traditional media and techniques from the early Christina periods and the Byzantine era to be part of all my creative work, secular and sacred.  Although I use the traditional methods, the iconography I humbly present is different in its look, somewhat more modern…

Xenakis has works in many private, corporate and museum collections and exhibits on a regular basis.  He currently teaches at the Corcoran College of Art and Design, Georgetown University and Marymount University.

                                                            Alexandra Sherman, Curator