Byzantine Iconography By Evangeline Karavas

Byzantine iconography has always struck a chord somewhere deep within me. I'm not sure why, but icons tend to mesmerize me in a way no other art form ever does.

My favorite iconographer is Evangeline Karavas, who I'm presenting in my Youseum on Thanksgiving. Because her work is so stunning, I’m featuring eight of her icons in two galleries.

Without fanfare, this amazing artist, who also happens to be one of my favorite cousins, paints her icons in solitude. "It’s a spiritual journey" she recently told me. "I put on my Byzantine chanting and pray to the Saint I’m painting to watch over the person I’m painting the icon for. I think of nothing else.”

What I love most about her icons is her unusual use of vibrant colors and the rich dimensionality that emerges through her application of painstaking details.

Enjoy the exhibit, and have a great Thanksgiving!