Student artwork at the MORI office

The paintings themselves are a final school project in partnership with the Museum of Russian Icons.  Icons like this were on display last night at an exhibit opening featuring the sixth grade class.  The event was held at the Holder Memorial Building (home to Clinton’s Historical Society) located across the park from the Museum of Russian Icons. Friends, family, and the public were all invited for refreshments and the grand unveiling of the art.

Everyone was very impressed by the show and the great artistic ability of the students. The students were also very excited to discuss their art and what their subject meant to them.

This exhibit was not just a single art class devoted to icons, but a yearlong cross-curricular partnership that Clinton Middle School has with the Museum of Russian Icons.  Beginning last November,  150  CMS sixth grade students visited the Museum after reading Russian folktales and learning about the history and culture of Russia at school. Welcomed to the Museum and lead through the galleries by our wonderful docents (volunteer tour guides), students built upon their knowledge of Russia with an introduction to icons.

Icon exhibit at Holder Memorial

During their time at the Museum, students viewed the artwork, learned about the importance of symbols, how icons are made, and discussed several artistic elements of icons such as perspective, foreground/background, line, shape and color. After the tour, students were challenged to complete a discovery guide based on the works in the collection.

Continuing the collaboration, in December, CMS students learned more about reliquary icons during a docent-lead outreach art project where each student made their own metal icons using aluminum tooling foil. This project was based on our 12-13^th century metal icon of Archangel Michael from our permanent collection.

Archangel Michael, 12th-13th Century, Museum of Russian Icons permanent collection

The project got rave reviews. One of the teachers told me that they overheard a student remarking that the metal tooling icon was an art project he was, “actually going to keep” which made both teachers and museum staff very happy.

Completed metal tooling icon activity

In the spring, the art and English language arts classes continued to discuss icons and what the word “icon” meant to them in today’s society. Students were asked to think back to what they learned at the Museum in the fall, and the importance of the figures in icons. Their assignment was to think of someone that they respected and to list reasons why they admired that person. Students then had to figure out how they would depict the figure’s traits symbolically in a picture and paint the figure on an icon board.

This was the third annual exhibit opening and partnership between the Museum of Russian Icons and Clinton’s sixth grade class.  To congratulate the students, the Education Department of the Museum made gift bags for each student for all of their hard work.  The bags were at the Museum and each student and their family was encourage to visit the Museum that evening to show their friends and family what they learned about icons and Russia during the year.

Giftbags await the arrival of the students

Here are a few quotes from the students on why they chose a particular figure:

“I picked JK Rowling because I admire her. She overcame the challenges of being a poverty-stricken  single mother and wrote what was is probably the most successful book series ever.  Joanne Rowling has inspired me to be a writer. Many people have been moved by her story, and have attempted to overcome their own challenges because of her. I hope one day to be as good a person as JK Rowling.”

“I picked Muhummad Ali because I like boxing. I also like sports.  He has determination like me to win. He never stops believing, just like I do.”

“I picked Michelle Obama because she is helping the world with healthy eating, getting outside, exercise and much more. Michelle is someone I look up to, a great role model. She is also very stylish and fun.”

Each student did a wonderful job on their icon, and we look forward to another great year with Clinton Middle School and our other participating partnerships!

Below are some images of the exhibit…

Apostle John & Prokhorus, circa 1580

May 8^th is the feast day of Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, because it traditionally marked the annual pilgrimage to his grave.

St. John and his brother St. James were two of the original apostles. John wrote the Gospel that bears his name, along with the Book of Revelations and three canonical letters (I John, II John, and III John). St. John had an especially close relationship with Jesus; he identifies himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was one of few witnesses to several of Christ’s miracles; John and St. Peter were sent into the city to prepare for the final Passover meal (the Last Supper); and he remained near the foot of the cross with the Mother of God at the Crucifixion. In icons of the Last Supper, John is typically shown leaning on Jesus. According to the Bible (John 20:2-10), John was the first disciple (closely followed by Peter) to reach the empty tomb after the Resurrection, and to believe that Christ had risen. John, together with Peter, played an important rolein the founding and guidance of the Church.

Here, St. John is shown with his scribe Prokhorus, who is considered one of the seven deacons.  John is seated and turned away from Prokhorus, who is recording the word of John.  Water symbolizes their location: a cave entrance on the island of Patamos where John lived in exile and where he experienced the vision recounted in the Book of Revelation.  There is also a red lion which is often the symbol of John in the Orthodox religion.  In the upper left of the icon, the hand of God delivering a blessing, something not usually seen in icons.

Clinton owes much of its rich history to brothers Erastus and Horatio Bigelow, owners of the Bigelow carpet company, which was located in town. Many of the town’s institutions were established by the Bigelows to serve their families and those of the company’s employees.

Terry started right outside our own historic 1860s building. The original part of the Museum, which opened in 2006, served as the Bigelow brother’s offices, and then later as the post office and the first Library. The Museum’s West Gallery wing was originally a separate building, which functioned as the courthouse and the police station. At some point the exteriors were joined (there’s no setback law in Clinton, which means buildings can abut). In 2010, the Museum purchased the second structure and joined the two interiors by punching through a wall. They’re now seamlessly linked inside and out.

Across the street, Terry pointed out the Radius building, built in the 1930s as a post office.

Next door is the original First Baptist Church, now home to a Brazilian congregation. The current structure is the third on the site; two previous First Baptist Churches burned down. Terry recounted the story of one fire: the church went up in flames during a black-tie event in Town Hall attended by most town officials, including the firefighters. They responded to the church fire half a block from the event still wearing their tuxedos.

Corcoran House is next door. Once the Clinton High School, the building has since been repurposed into assisted living. Many features of the school—such as the auditorium—have been preserved.

Across a small municipal parking lot (which once held a tiny two-room school building affectionately known as “the Chicken Coop”) stands the Congregational Church.

The church features a stained glass window given by a group of Chinese visitors who worshipped at the church when they were in town working on the Wachusett Dam.

The Bigelow Public Library stands across the intersection.

This library was jointly funded by Andrew Carnegie and the Bigelow Brothers. The Holder Memorial, the location of the Clinton Historical Society, is one door down on Church Street. We then moved on to Town Hall, a beautiful building with some charming architectural features, including multi-colored tile work and gargoyles.

In front of Town Hall stands the Foster Fountain, which is a replica of the original commissioned by prominent resident and department store owner Mr. Foster. Figures from the original fountain stand at the entrance to the Holder Memorial. The fountain operates seasonally and creates a stunning backdrop for Clinton High School graduation, which takes place in the park every spring.

The oldest church in town is next door to Town Hall. Originally a Unitarian Church, it’s now a Spanish Seventh Day Adventist Church whose steeple is currently undergoing renovation. According to Terry, the congregation outgrew the Unitarian church soon after it was built. Rather than disturb the steeple by adding another story, church officials decided to raise the original building and add a first level below. The rounded window that is visible in the middle of the façade was the church’s door, and the two tall windows on either side were at ground level.

Around the corner of the park is the Foster Mansion, home of Mr. Foster (who commissioned the fountain and designated Central Park a “passive park for the enjoyment of all”).

In 1902, after Foster’s death, it became the Clinton Home for the Aged, which served indigent members of the community. More recently, the home operated as a guest house. Next month, the town will assume ownership of the building, which will become the new Clinton Senior Center.

Terry Ingano leading the tour.	Our group in front of the Museum.
The former post office, now Radius Product Development.	First Baptist Church
Corcoran House	Congregational Church
Bigelow Free Public Library & the Holder Memoria	Foster Fountain
Spanish Seventh Day Adventist Church	Foster Mansion

Clinton Police Station

Terry ended by showing us the police station, which was the location of Clinton High School in the 1960s.

Next door to the police department is our abutting neighbor, the Church of the Good Shepherd, an Episcopal church. The building was constructed in 1875, and was significantly expanded in the 1960s.

Thanks to Terry for a fascinating tour! It was worth braving the chilly weather for our docents to learn some great information that they can share with our visitors. The next time you visit the Museum, make sure to stroll around the park—one of the nation’s oldest public parks—to enjoy some history for yourself.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

It’s a rainy day in Newton, MA but the faces outside of the Newton Cultural Center are bright and smiling. As I make my way to the Center’s doors, I can hear the buzz of people inside. Seconds later, I enter the auditorium to find every seat occupied. What’s all the buzz about you ask? Everyone is enjoying the last day of the 3-day long From Russia with Arts and Culture Festival.

Overseen by Linda Plaut, Director of the Mayor’s Office for Cultural Affairs, the idea for the festival was sparked by Melinda Gordon who has curated shows at the Center before and wondered, “..how else can we use this space?”

Figure 1

Gordon introduced Plaut to Olesya and Jerry Koenig, owners of the From Russia with Art Gallery (Figure 1), who have been involved in shows Gordon previously curated. The introduction allowed Plaut access to the Koenig’s Russian connections and thus the basis for attending artists, musicians, and much more were established. “Why make it a static art exhibit when you can make it more dynamic with food and music?” said Gordon.

Figure 2

I attended Sunday’s events, specifically interested in a fashion show being put on by Rimma Zaika-Veksler, designer of Wearable Art by Rimma (Figure 2). Rimma’s work has been featured on ABC morning shows and Boston Woman Magazine honored her as one of “Boston’s 100 Most Interesting Women.” A full house waited in anticipation to see live models show off Rimma’s newest collection of handmade, one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry, and accessories.

Figure 3

Figure 4

The show began with what Rimma refers to as her “Comeback Collection.” This collection focused on items geared more towards New England-like weather and the cool rain outside proved just how unpredictable that can be. Here light, yet warm, pieces with badger, mink, fox, and rabbit fur accents as well as detailed embroidery were highlighted (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Rimma reflected this concept in a softer tone within her “Spring/Summer collection.” As the warm weather inspires, both bright and pastel colors were used for shrugs, shawls, capes, and boleros paired with various statement jewelry sets. Impressively, each item felt like its own piece of artwork and complimented one another not only in color but texture, as well (Figures 5 – 10).

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Rimma’s “Evening Collection” included a forgotten, age-old, Irish technique of crochet lace. The style’s popularity spread and eventually reached Russia and is used in the ensemble above (Figure 11). The process requires each design of the overall pattern to be crocheted separately. The various pieces are then arranged together and stitched in place. Finally, the spaces in between are crocheted, unifying the lace design. The result is an elegantly detailed lace pattern (Figure 12). Rimma provided Saturday’s attendees with a demonstration of the technique (Figure 13). This YouTube video provides a short demonstration of the process.

Figure 14

As I spoke with Rimma, she comfortably sat in a chair, exhausted by but pleased with her show. She has been working 18-hour days, non-stop, for three months but the hard work is apparent and will hopefully pay off. Rimma’s daughter, Katherine Jane Veksler, and husband, Mark Veksler, are both present and play large roles in both production and support of Rimma’s work (Figure 14).

Figure 15

I asked Rimma what it was like doing a live show and she said, “The ladies that helped present the collections were all volunteers…it was unbelievable how much dedication they had…Yesterday, it was very hot, we only had two rehearsals and it was still such a success!” (Figure 15. Models from left to right: Elena, Katya, Ksusha, and Katherine)

Figure 16

As Rimma explains one of her self-taught techniques to me – it involves crocheting an overall mesh-like pattern and embroidering 1/8” strips of fur into the mesh (Figure 16) – I couldn’t help but overhear a lady at her booth exclaim, “I love this!” as she tried on a stunning turquoise necklace and then, without hesitation, interrupted mine and Rimma’s conversation to say, “Rimma, you’re an amazing, talented woman,” before leaving (Figure 17). The talent is easily evident but the warm response to Rimma as a person is even more intriguing. Find out for yourself by attending a Trunk Show of Wearable Art by Rimma at the Karenna Maraj Artisan Gallery on May 12, 2012.

Figure 17

Rimma’s pieces are also available in the Museum Shop. Call (978) 598-5000 or visit the Museum of Russian Icons’ website to inquire.

The Museum’s collection includes several icons of St. George, ranging in date from 1500 to 1997. You can explore them on the collections section of our website, here: http://www.museumofrussianicons.org/research/index.php/resesarch-tools/collection/.

One of our favorites is the beautiful traveling icon pictured above, which we use as the profile image for our Facebook and Twitter accounts. Designed to be portable, this icon measures only 2.75 x 2.5 inches. Though it’s tiny, this icon has a powerful presence, heightened by the precious stones that surround the meticulously painted scene.

Artist and storyteller Marina Forbes

The Museum of Russian Icons is looking forward to hosting Russian artist and storyteller Marina Forbes next week to teach her exclusive Secrets of the Moscow Kremlin workshop. Marina developed this workshop in conjunction with our special exhibition MAPS: Pathways to Russia. Not only is Marina an extremely talented artist, but she’s also an incredibly dynamic teacher who enlivens her workshop with stories and often with traditional music and dance. She will enchant you, and you’ll leave with ready-to-frame artwork. Participants can choose to work with gessoed board, textured acrylic paper, or ceramic tiles. Marina has pre-designed these templates to ensure that everyone will finish a professional-quality piece of art, but you can also design your own image if you prefer.

"Mother Russia," by Marina Forbes

We are offering the chance for one lucky winner to receive TWO free registrations to the workshop on Thursday, April 19, from 12:30 to 3:30, up to a $30 value. The workshop is open to families with children ages 6 and up as well as to individuals. The prize does not include supplies (you may bring your own or purchase from the instructor; everything you need can be purchased for around $15) or the template required for the workshop ($12-$25, depending on which you choose).

To enter: Comment below and tell us: If you win, which surface – gessoed board, acrylic paper, or ceramic tile – would you choose to highlight the beautiful scenery of Russia, and why?

For additional entries: Like or post about this giveaway on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/themuseumofrussianicons, and come back to leave a comment that you’ve done so; or retweet our Tweet about it (@MuseumRussIcons), and post below to tell us you have. (Note: you must post on the blog about those additional entries for them to count.)

NOTE: Please only enter if you are available to attend the workshop on Thursday, April 19, at 12:30, at the Museum. (The same workshop on Saturday, April 14, is not part of the giveaway.)

A winner will be chosen by a random number generator at noon on Saturday, April 14, and the winner will be contacted by email.

Good luck!

A visitor seeks Ford’s opinion on an icon her mother brought back from a tour of Germany. Frank prefers not to be photographed, but may be met in person at the Museum.

On every other first Friday, including today, the Museum hosts “Take It To The Curator,” in which visitors may bring their icons to an expert for more information and understanding about their objects. Many of them are family heirlooms; some have proven unusual and a delight to the staff; and some are disappointments to those who hoped they were holding onto a valuable and rare art objects. As a non-profit organization, the Museum is not allowed to give valuation on objects. But the information that what one hoped was a genuine seventeenth-century icon is in fact an acid-paper print glued with rubber cement onto wood helps provide an idea of relative worth.

The curator for this program is Frank Ford, a native of Worcester, who grew up attending St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Freeland Street. St. Mark’s has a collection of Russian icons, and, when Frank was growing up, Father Thaddeus would keep lamps in front of them, lighting them properly. The story of Frank’s first icons is one of ingenuity: “In the 1960s, I went to the Worcester Art Museum, bought ten of the UNESCO Russian icon prints they had for sale, went home, stole all my father’s plywood, mounted and shellacked them.” His first genuine icon was a particularly beautiful nineteenth-century Pantocrator, bought a few years later from a Coral Gables antique shop that was going out of business, and he’s been collecting on and off since then. In 1974, Frank converted to Orthodoxy, taking the name Nicholas.

The greatest discovery Ford has made during “Take It To The Curator” came in the hands of a young woman, who told him, “My grandfather brought this little icon from Greece. I don’t think it’s worth anything, and I don’t think it’s Russian, but will you look at it?” When she unwrapped it, he saw right away the hallmarks on the silver riza (meaning “robe,” an ornament of metal that clothes the saints). The hallmarks were that of Pavel Ovchinockov, an icon writer he describes as “in the same league as Fabergé.” “‘Ah,’ I told her, ‘it’s not fake, and it’s very valuable. I can’t tell you worth, but take it home and keep it in a safe place.’”

“Take It To The Curator” is held every other first Friday, on a drop-in basis between 11 AM and 2 PM, for a fee of $7 per object.

Portable, folding icon stands that can be placed anywhere in the church or home are also considered iconostases.

An iconostasis is a wall ornamented with icons and religious paintings found in Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches, dividing the nave from the sanctuary.  It is an architectural hallmark of Orthodox Christian churches, and symbolizes the separation of the earthly from the divine. This separation, however, is intended to be permeable, by the Church rites that are carried through its doorways, and by the worshipful viewing of the icons adorning it.  Icons are visible representations of the invisible, and venerating them serves as an entrance to the Divine.

This blog, adorned with icons, serves as an entrance to our museum. Through it, we welcome you to our extraordinary collection and to our conversations about Russian icons, Russian culture, museums like us, and our unique location in Central Massachusetts.

We hope you’ll visit us here often. We’d love to hear what topics you’d like to explore with us; please post in the comments.