The Trinity Iconography Institute at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Portland, Oregon is an ongoing activity that trains individuals of any Christian denomination who are interested in and agree to commit to, the practice, Canons and Rubrics of iconography according to the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church.

Since 1999 and until the Fall of 2012,  the Institute’s Instructor was Master Iconographer Sherry V. Lynch who lives in La Center, Washington. Many will remember the vast amount of work written by Sherry under her former name of Bettendorf. Sherry trained in Turkey and was acknowledged as an iconographer by His All Holiness Athenagoras, Patriarch of Byzantium/Constantinople  (now Istanbul, Turkey).

Beginning with the Fall 2012 class we are excited and pleased to have Father Jon Buffington, a Chaldean Catholic priest as our new Instructor.

Classes are scheduled in Spring and Fall and run for 12 weeks, meeting on Monday evenings from 6:30-9:00 pm. The Summer week-long class begins at 8:30 am and runs until 4:00 pm (with a lunch break) Monday-Friday.

The Summer class has become extremely popular and was added to accommodate people from around the diocese and those from out-of-state, for whom 12-week evening classes are impracticable.  Many clergy have taken the Summer class in fulfillment of Continuing Education requirements. In the Summer of 2013 and to accommodate the demand for attendance, two classes will now be held in August,  one to begin on August 5, as originally scheduled and one beginning on August 19.  Both classes run for one week and both will be taught using egg tempera as the medium. When registering, please specify which of the two class dates you wish to attend.

Each student can expect to complete a small icon from  several prototypes provided by the instructor.

Class fees are modest and cover the cost of retaining the instructor. A small supplies and administration fee is also charged.

Experienced iconographers are welcome, and cordially invited, to “paint-in” with students at no charge, year-round on most Monday evenings, (excluding public holiday observances) beginning at 6:30 pm.

Christopher J. Armstrong-Stevenson, Director,
Iconography Institute
c/o Trinity Episcopal Cathedral,
147 NW 19th Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97209.
(Home phone 503-366-0829)
E-mail: trinityiconographers@hotmail.com