New!  5-Day Icon Painting Residency in the BOSTON area ~

December 1 – 5, 2026

THE NATIVITY ICON

A Five-Day Icon Painting Residency with George Kordis

Winchester, Massachusetts

In the quiet weeks leading toward Christmas, we invite you to a special five-day residency with master artist and iconographer George Kordis, devoted to the painting and contemplation of the Nativity of Christ.

Held at the beautiful Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts (a close suburb of Boston) this residency offers a unique opportunity to step away from the pace of everyday life and spend a week immersed in the visual language of the icon during the season of Advent.

Over five days, participants will work with Dr. Kordis to compose and paint an icon of the Nativity using his distinctive dry egg tempera technique and the principles of the Byzantine system of painting—rhythm, line, movement, relationship, and color.

FOR BEGINNERS AND EXPERIENCED ICONOGRAPHERS

The residency is intentionally structured to welcome both those newer to icon painting and more advanced students.

Those encountering Dr. Kordis’s approach for the first time will be introduced to the fundamental principles of the Byzantine visual language, with preliminary guidance in drawing, composition, color, and the building of the painted image.

More experienced students will have the opportunity to work at a deeper level with composition, color relationships, and the distinctive underpainting methods that Dr. Kordis has developed and refined over several decades.

Through in-depth demonstrations, guided exercises, individual observation, and sustained studio practice, students will follow the icon from its initial structure through the successive stages of painting. While basic drawing instruction will be included, the greater part of the week will be devoted to the painting process itself.

THE NATIVITY: IMAGE, THEOLOGY & ADVENT

The Nativity is among the richest and most profound images within the Byzantine tradition. Its landscape, figures, gestures, movement, and relationships draw together the mystery of the Incarnation: the meeting of heaven and earth and the entrance of Christ into the human condition.

Studying this icon during Advent gives the week a particular character. Rather than simply reproducing a traditional composition, participants will be encouraged to understand how the icon communicates through its visual language—and how an inherited tradition can remain alive, creative, and meaningful in the hands of a contemporary painter.

Alongside the daily studio sessions, Dr. Kordis will offer short lectures, reflections, and informal discussions touching upon the history and theology of the icon, creativity within tradition, and the artistic process.

As with all Writing the Light residencies, the week is also shaped by the community that develops around the work: shared meals, conversation, friendship, and the experience of learning together. In this sense, the residency offers something of both a serious artistic intensive and an Advent retreat.

THE SETTING

The Parish of the Epiphany in Winchester, Massachusetts provides a peaceful and welcoming setting for the residency, within easy reach of Boston and its rich cultural and historic surroundings.

Daily sessions will run from 9:00 am–4:00 pm, with a one-hour lunch break at noon. There are numerous cafés and eateries within walking distance of the church. The last day on Friday will end after lunch.

Participants can also look forward to an informal evening gathering with Dr. Kordis during the week.

Five days of painting.
Five days of looking more deeply.
And a week devoted to the Nativity of Christ at the threshold of Christmas.

We look forward to gathering in Massachusetts for this very special Advent residency with George Kordis.

A detail of the dome and walls of St. Catherine Church in Braintree, MA.

MATERIALS

All pigments, paper, emulsion and icon-board (16″ x 20″) will be provided.  Students are asked to bring their own brushes, and drawing materials.  More information is shared at registration.

Tuition ~ 775 EUR 

Limited to 18 students.

This residency may be counted toward one of the required residencies for the Certificate in Iconography Program.

Note: US RESIDENCIES HAVE A LARGE DEMAND IN THE U.S. — please do not delay registration.

Getting There

Students can arrive into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), which is approximately 12 miles from downtown Winchester. The area is easily accessible by car, taxi, rideshare, or public transit.

Lodging

There are many lodging options available:

• Hotels and Airbnbs in neighboring Woburn (within a short drive to Winchester)

• Downtown Boston accommodations, with daily commutes possible via the MBTA commuter rail from North Station to Winchester Center Station (taking around 20 minutes leaving each hour), followed by a short 10-minute walk to the church.

We will provide a list of recommended hotels and Airbnb options closer to the program date so students can book according to their preferences and budgets.

ANY QUESTIONS?

Please feel free to contact Director Ker Wiederspahn at info.writingthelight@gmail.com.