Elijah Turrell

Artworks

St. Cuthbert
Egg Tempera on Gesso Board
22.5 x 31.5 cm

Study from the Book of Durrow
Glair and Ink on Vellum
15 x 15 cm

Study of Celtic Ironwork
Ink on Vellum
23 x 23 cm

Artist Statement

My approach to art is that of a spiritual discipline. In the same way we partake in sacraments, fast, or give alms, I paint icons as an extension of prayer. My aim is to produce icons that participate not just in my life, but in the prayer life of the whole church. In the Master of Arts programme at the School of Traditional Arts I focused on Christian art in the West during the first millennium A.D. During the first thousand years of its existence, churches in the East and West were united with a common history, theology and visual language. I chose to focus on the theme of the Cross for this exploration. Most of the works I produced for this exhibition depict a cross, the crucifixion scene, or other texts and images that relate to or expound upon this theme.

My work includes multiple media: egg tempera on gesso panels, glair and watercolor on paper and vellum, stone carving, gilding with gold leaf, and broad-nib calligraphy. As often as possible, I try to use the same materials used by medieval artists. I was inspired by the manuscript and stone-carving traditions of the Celtic monasteries in the 7th-9th centuries. Although they quite often used exemplars from Byzantium, the work they produced was transformed by their native aesthetics. I spent the last two years submerging myself in the art to learn the intricacies of this style and have only begun to scratch the surface. Many of the pieces I have made this past year are more than copies of old works; they are new works inspired by an ancient tradition. These ancient prayers, hymns, and teachings hold such a depth of wisdom that can still inspire sacred art over a thousand years later. Making art from within a tradition is like joining a choir with ten thousand voices all singing the same song. In the future, I will continue creating icons and liturgical art within both the Byzantine and Celtic styles.

The ancient monk Cassiodorus said that each word of Scripture written by a scribe is a wound to the devil. I would take this further to say that each brush stroke in an icon does the same. Each work is a prayer that continues long after I am gone. “Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense, and let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice” (Psalm 141:2).

Biography

Elijah is a liturgical artist from Tulsa, Oklahoma. He studied Pastoral Ministry at the Moody Bible Institute and holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Oklahoma. In 2017, he began studying Iconography with Dr. Irina Bradley. He has painted several icons under her mentorship which have been exhibited in the UK and Spain.

Contact

Website https://www.holywellicons.com/