Merna Liddawi

Christ Mandylion
23.5 ct Gold leaf, egg tempera, gesso on wood
25 x 30 x 3cm

Biography

Before studying iconography at The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts, Merna completed a Master’s degree in Fine Art at West Dean College, where she explored symbolic and spiritual expression through traditional techniques of icon painting. Her early training in fine art deepened her sensitivity to material, colour, and composition, while also cultivating a reflective discipline that continues to shape her creative process today.

Rooted in her deep Orthodox heritage, Merna’s artistic journey has evolved into a dedicated practice of sacred iconography — a vocation that bridges her faith and her art. For her, the making of an icon is not simply a visual act but a form of prayer and contemplation. Each brushstroke is approached with reverence, following centuries-old traditions that unite the spiritual and the material. This slow, meditative process allows space for silence and presence, where the invisible can begin to take form through colour, light, and line.

Now based on the South Coast, Merna works from her studio creating icons and paintings that reflect a living dialogue between tradition, faith, and contemporary sensibility. Her work seeks to renew the sacred language of icons for the modern world — honouring their historical essence while inviting new ways of seeing and experiencing them. Through her art, she hopes to offer viewers a moment of stillness and contemplation, where sacred imagery can speak quietly to the heart.

Merna continues to expand her understanding of sacred art through ongoing study, research, and prayerful practice, viewing her work not only as artistic expression but as a lifelong spiritual journey.