I am an ordained priest in the Church of England and served in full-time parish ministry from 2010 to 2023, undertaking training in iconography, calligraphy and sacred geometry alongside my priestly duties. Sensing God's call to focus full-time on ministry as an iconographer and sacred artist, in early 2023 I resigned from my parish and set up a studio in my new home in Wiltshire, UK, from where I continue to explore the spiritual dimensions of traditional and contemporary art forms. I continue to hold a licence as a priest within the Diocese of Gloucester and serve church communities both locally and further afield. From 2024 to 2026, I am studying for a Masters in Fine Art with Oxford Brookes University to develop further my contemporary sacred art practice.

My iconographic journey began in 2010 during training for the priesthood, when I started exploring possibilities for expressing theology through image as well as word. Although I had always been interested in creative pursuits, I had no formal art training when I decided to submit a painting (acrylic on canvas) alongside the required essay. Continuing to explore visual representations of my theological studies, I began to use gold to represent the Divine in my work. This connection with more traditional iconography was clear and so I began to explore the Orthodox tradition further. In 2016, I completed my first icon painting workshop, and from 2019 to 2022, trained with the King's School for the Traditional Arts, to be awarded a Certificate in Icon Painting.  

Now working as a full-time sacred artist, I see my art practice as an intrinsic part of my vocation to the priesthood. Using visual, artistic means is as much part of sharing the Gospel of Christ with a new generation as preaching or writing with words. My ongoing ministry includes teaching others about icons and their use for prayer and worship, as well as in leading worship in creative ways, leading quiet days and retreats. Given the icon's ability to express theology, I am particularly interested in exploring what it means to be an iconographer within the Church of England. How could or should my icons reflect a distinctive Anglican theology? My MFA studies are also encouraging me to reflect on how we represent theology in a contemporary art context, as I continue to explore the relationship between word and image. In the words of Proust, I strive to see God's world differently.

To focus my priesthood on an artistic ministry has been, and remains, an act of faith and trust in God.

Website: www.catherinemaryicons.uk
Email: catherine@catherinemaryicons.uk