@adamsicons talks Iconography, his Experience in the church, and Underground rap

What iconography and art projects are you currently engaged in?

Currently I am painting a orthodox church in Ottawa Canada. This project is quite large and takes up most of my time and focus, additionally I am working on a YouTube channel, posting on my ig story and a few other side projects.

Adam holding an icon of Christ that he has written

Did you study art or are you self taught?

I am effectively self taught when it comes to iconography. Although, I have had some help along the way with feedback and logistics. I went to school for traditional animation and worked in the industry for a few years before I transitioned my focus to painting. My experience in animation gave me a pretty well trained eye which definitely gave me a better starting point than most.

Adam’s icons of St. Nicholas and St. George

What has been your favorite project in regards to the process?

Honestly, anything that is Romanesque or more realistic, like a recent copy of the the Sinai Pantocrator I did. Early on I took a online oil painting class with Ramon Hurtado which deeply influenced me. For me, approaching paintings from a more western academic approach allows for much more direct painting which I find more engaging. Oil painting is more of a puzzle and icons are more of a step by step process to me.

What has been your favorite project in regards to the outcome?

One of my favorite outcomes has been the drapery ornamentation I recently completed at the church I am working on. It covers about 100 feet along the interior of the walls. I have always felt that large scale painting tends to favor less proficient painters like myself. Most artists around me seem to focus on very small paintings or sketchbooks so its nice to create something that transforms a large space. Big paintings simply have a different impact on the viewer that smaller works can't.

Adam’s ornamentation on the walls of a church he is painting

What is unique about the Orthodox community that you come from?

I wouldn't say there is anything particularly unique about my Orthodox community, I attend a very multicultural parish downtown. I was surprised by the amount of families and individuals who converted before the pandemic/Dyer wave, as well as how educated the general parish is. But the more I visit other parishes I notice that this seems to be quite normal.

Cradle or Convert? What's your story?

I was raised in a very loving and moral non religious household. I have always had a nagging interest in world religion and the bible. I was super into the work from authors like Michael Heiser and John Walton. Like many others over the pandemic I started reading a lot more, which led me to the Orthodox church.

What are some things you love about Orthodox Christianity?

I, of course, love the liturgy and iconography of the church but what I love most about Orthodox Christianity is its simplicity. This may seem paradoxical to those outside the church, since it appears ancient and ridden with jurisdictional complexities. But in its true form, Orthodoxy offers a spiritual rootedness that you can't find elsewhere.

I have known many Protestants who are constantly switching churches or denominations seeking the "right" interpretation or structure. There is a deep peace in belonging to a church I trust Christ will preserve, I am no longer constantly getting caught up in debate. I simply go to Liturgy, struggle to follow the commandments of Christ and listen to my Priest.

Do you see Orthodox Christianity spreading in underground rap scenes?

I do see Orthodox Christianity becoming more visible in pockets of the underground, I was at the most recent Bladee show in Montreal with three other Orthodox Christians and before the set began, they were playing Russian Orthodox chant. Bladee and Joeyys most recent merch had orthodox Christian symbols on them as well. Broadly there is a shift away from default atheism that dominated most online subcultures as far back as I can remember.

Recently Hi-C is openly making Christian music and Suicideboys are ostensibly Christian now. Of course there is no mass conversion and much of it is probably just borrowing Christian aesthetics but even that says something, people are drawn to what is old and sacred.

Adam next to an icon he wrote of Christ

Follow Adam on Instagram @adamsicons or on Youtube

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