St. John the Baptist

Laurie Gudim

acrylic gouache and gold leaf on walnut board

6 1/4"x 8 1/8"

2000

John the Baptist is a traditional icon which intrigued me for its symbolism. The words painted on the image mean John the Forerunner. John points the way to the Lamb of God, symbolized by the man in the cup, which is also representative of the Eucharist.

Iconography is a prayer discipline. The constant repetitive prayer I use, which is intended to get my ego out of the way, while creating the icon is like centering prayer. It both nourishes and informs. The same sort of prayer can be used in gazing at the icon after it is completed.

The icons are to be gazed through frequently for the enchantment of the world into which they open. They embody a clarity and peace that transcends time. They shine with their own luminescence. They are lasting treasures that inform the psyche, offering new dimensions of healing and connection time after time.