The Writing the Light Certificate Degree

In partnership with the Institute of Sacred Arts, St. Vladimir’s Seminary, USA

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

With the mentorship of Dr. George Kordis, one of the top contemporary artist iconographers and Byzantine art scholars in the world, Writing the Light provides a well-rounded curriculum in the studio practice of contemporary Byzantine iconography. 

Now packaged as a CERTIFICATE with the partnership of the Institute of Sacred Arts ~  

We welcome you to join this unique program.

THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

With an international scope and based on a low-residency model, the various Certificate programs combine select in-person residencies at various international destinations paired with the freedom of online engagement from a home location anywhere in the world, making it possible for students to learn, grow and achieve success.

As a studio-based program in the practice of making icons, it includes additional overview course-work in Byzantine Art History, Theology and Aesthetics, allowing optimal time for advancing in the creative process, skills and techniques needed in this specialized field.

It is therefore the perfect accompaniment to students pursuing matriculated degrees in related fields, or simply pursued independently for full immersion in learning to create icons using the Byzantine System cultivated by Dr. Kordis, moving towards a professional practice.

The Writing the Light curriculum is ideally designed for a 3-year period of study (with a new Foundation Year introduced in Fall 2024), responsive to each individual student and their specific needs with flexibility and affordability.  It can also be fulfilled in two years based on experience and Dr. Kordis’s placement recommendations.

NEW ~ In 2025, a separate two year Church Wall-Painting Program will launch as the first international program of its kind to equip students in their professional development in church wall-painting (see more information further below), and will be offered independently or as an add-on for select Certificate students once completing the core program.

The online programs are manageable for most students, with a realistic timeline to assure success in a part-time commitment.  Based on incoming applicant review, some students may be eligible to be considered for a waiver of certain coursework (see APPLY for more information), if they have previously studied under Dr. Kordis or have prior experience that can carry over.   This can only be determined in the application process with personalized recommendation.

The programs begins in the Fall of any given year, or if applying with satisfied prior coursework, occasionally can begin in the Spring Semester at semester two if space becomes available.

A final thesis of an original composition of an icon(s) will be the highlight and culmination of the main certificate program coursework, with an exhibition at the Mets Art Center in Athens, Greece and/or at an appropriate exhibition space in the United States.

The Church Wall-Painting Program will have a required capstone project and can also include professional experience working alongside Kordis in a church painting internship at a project either in the US, Europe or Australia.

Please scroll further down for information on the new CHURCH WALL PAINTING PROGRAM curriculum.

MAIN CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

TWO CORE PARTS TO THE CURRICULUM:

1. ONLINE – Classes are a balanced combination of a recorded (asynchronous) e-learning system and LIVE (synchronous) virtual seminars and classes delivered through Zoom and Vimeo with individualized long-distance critique and oversight. 
2. RESIDENCIES – There are four required residencies with multiple options for students to choose from.  If taking the 3-year program, the required residencies increases to five total, with the ability to take one of the 10-day Greek residencies virtually.  These immersions are a critical part of the program to provide valuable in-person instruction, critique and oversight for growth and artistic progress.  These 7 to 10-day residencies are currently held offered in several locations.  Students may choose residencies in GREECE (both in Athens each January and Crete each August), NEW YORK, USA at St. Vladimir’s Seminary, East or West Coast USA, and more.  The flexibility for students to choose the location and time of year of the residencies to fit into their life schedule is a major asset to the program.

(see Residencies)

ONLINE CURRICULUM

There is both a 3-year program with an additional Foundation Year as well as the 2-year core program. Dr. Kordis makes a recommendation for individual students after applying to the program. 

Foundation Year Program

This first-year course of study immerses students in a detailed practical exploration of the Byzantine system to form a solid foundation in its concepts, skills, and practices, training them to become confident in their independent drawing and painting skills. The curriculum prepares students for the mentorship with Dr. Kordis in the following two years of the program, better prepared to enter the next phase of learning.  The core Foundation Year classes of Drawing and Painting are taught by Maria Panou, who has worked closely with Dr. Kordis as first assistant in multiple church-painting projects and she also co-teaches most of the in-person international residencies with him.  Learn more about Maria Panou here. 

We recommend this additional year for students who have minimal art training background.  Upon acceptance into the Certificate Program, placement recommendations by Dr. Kordis will be given.  

1. THREE YEAR PROGRAM 

Includes a Foundation Year

* Note some of the Theology & Aesthetics Classes and Byzantine Art History Classes for Foundation students will be adjusted in year two and three below.

The Foundation Year is then added to the below:

2. TWO YEAR CORE PROGRAM — 4 semesters

Final Thesis Semester

After the final semester is completed, A student will enter into their “THESIS PHASE”.  Students will have flexible options to consider if they wish to contain their thesis within one semester, or extend out from one to two or even more semesters to continue to grow and improve. We understand that each student reaches readiness at various points in their studies, as well as manages unique time and life demands.  We therefore feel it is important to allow flexibility for each individual to complete their thesis when they feel ready, in tandem with recommendations by George Kordis in order to have a successful closure to their training period.

THESIS PROJECT – Students must paint an icon based on traditional icons using their own style. The Thesis is supervised by George Kordis individually throughout a thesis semester, with final work submission required within three months of the completion of the thesis semester unless a student wishes to extend the thesis period to have access to the mentorship and all-class resources.

Once engaged in the Thesis process, students will have a monthly Thesis Group Meeting with George Kordis which will serve as the one core class (and only “required” part of this phase meeting 1x monthly), and online communication to advance the project.  Students will also have the option to attend any other classes as they wish with full access to supplement their training and practice. The Thesis phase will have a flat rate cost of €500/per semester (see more in the TUITION information).

There could be one or as many semesters as is needed to finish the thesis project. There is no written (with words) part to the Thesis – it is solely a creative icon project.  Once the thesis is completed, students will have a group exhibition of their thesis project — with an in-person exhibition option as well as a virtual exhibition option.  In the final core semester of the Certificate program students will be able to discuss possible Thesis project ideas, especially as students work through their Creative Composition (Advanced Drawing II) class with George Kordis.

RESIDENCIES

Certificate Program Residencies 

The Writing the Light Residencies are a critical part of the unique program, offering an in-person balance to the virtual online program.  These are hands-on, valuable opportunities to learn directly from Dr. Kordis and his extended faculty.  Students will be able to dive into the nuances of the technical application of drawing and painting and gain a deeper understanding of the various materials.

All residencies have an intensive practical focus – on icon drawing and painting in the Byzantine system.  They will cover the material and creative aspect of the medium of egg tempera.  They will also include rotating specialized instruction on the preparation of grounds, gilding, and an overview of various alternative painting mediums and methods – from fresco to digital painting, along with basic marketing and professional best practices.  There will also be residencies that feature a special focus on church work with large scale drawing and painting in the “buon fresco”, casein, and silicate paint techniques, curated for those who wish to explore professional church painting and experience its particular application.

With an International scope, the residencies are primarily held in Greece (Athens and Crete), the US (New York, Boston, New Hampshire and occasionally the West Coast, USA). Students can choose which residencies work best with their schedules, aiming to optimally attend two residencies per year. There are four residencies total required for graduation in the two year program and five in the three-year.  Students who have already attended previous workshops with Dr. Kordis can obtain a waiver of up to one residency towards fulfillment of their Certificate, but are welcome to attend more residencies than the basic requirement to graduate.

Certificate students will be asked to share a personal residency plan upon entrance to the program, with the ability to amend as life demands.  The first in-person residency should be scheduled as close as possible to the first online semester – either before or immediately after.

Students must be prepared to cover the additional cost of travel, food and lodging while at the Residencies, and factor this into their overall budget for the full two-year program.  The basic additional costs of what to expect per residency (beyond tuition) are estimated separately on the individual RESIDENCIES page, and will vary according to both an individual’s home state or country and the chosen residency location and duration.

PLEASE NOTE that Residencies are also open to non-Certificate students, but only after Certificate students have secured their intentions and attendance preferences.  Residencies usually will have a select number of spaces available for non-Certificate students to join. 

As of 2025, it is extremely difficult for outside non-Certificate students to secure a space at a residency due to the high demand of interest.  Because of this, Certificate students are always offered priority registration to the residencies (except for the Summer School in Greece, which is always filled on a first-come, first-served basis).

All of the residencies with specific details and descriptions are outlined individually on our RESIDENCIES page.

All of the residencies are billed separately as a separate Residential Tuition Fee payable in advance of the scheduled residency as a deposit in order to secure a spot (Summer School is billed six months out with a deposit suggested as soon as it has been selected due to the popularity of the program), with full payment required three months in advance.

Interested in applying?

Learn more about the Application Process HERE

BEGINNING FALL 2025

NEW  Church Wall-Painting Certificate — A separate 2-year program 

Applications Open January 1, 2025.  Program Launch in Fall 2025.

OVERVIEW

Dr. George Kordis is regarded as one of the top master contemporary iconographers working in this specialized field today, and it is with the interest and urging of many students around the world that Writing the Light has formed a separate 2-year program for those students who wish to include a special focus in church wall-painting in their training.  With exposure to a deeper understanding of the role of church painting and the elements of design on a larger scale, students will enter into a two year program that encompasses theory, methodology, materials, professional best practices and first hand apprenticeship experience working with Dr. Kordis, select expert faculty and learn in real time along Kordis’s church-painting team.  The select group of students in this limited cohort will engage in the practice of techniques both online and with in-person residencies culminating with an opportunity to paint a chapel in Greece alongside Dr. Kordis as well as options for various internship and work/study opportunities. 

As an innovative professional artistic program, Writing the Light will launch a 2-year Certificate Program in the Art of Church Wall-Painting in Fall 2025.  Founded by master artist and iconographer Dr. George Kordis, the program was created for a distinct group of aspiring artist iconographers to immerse in the rich tradition of Byzantine wall painting, led with Kordis’s expert oversight and guidance and formed by a unique curriculum over two transformative years,  

In a contemporary world where old icons are often copied and used to adorn new churches,  most modern icon painters are not trained how to approach the ambitious and rigorous demands of designing the sacred space of a church.  This newest program of Writing the Light is the only international professional-track educational program of its kind aimed at initiating a new movement of artists towards inspiration and originality within the tradition of Ecclesiastical wall-painting.  By equipping students with the knowledge, skills, resources and artistic thinking they need, we believe that strong and new creative visionaries will be able to enter the field of Ecclesiastical wall-painting prepared and able to summon in a new Renaissance of beautifying churches with a reflective spirit of a vibrancy and creativity around the world.

As biblical story-tellers shaping the visual narrative and articulating the pictorial language for churches, we feel this is important work to train, equip and nurture the next generation of creative and artistic church wall painters. 

This program seamlessly combines flexible in-person residencies (see RESIDENCY description in the Main Certificate Program above) at Byzantine churches, monasteries and sacred sites with thoughtful and practical online modules, fostering a multifaceted learning experience that combines the vibrancy of an artistic community and the introspection of individual study. Participants will explore the spiritual and artistic traditions of Byzantine wall painting while developing their skills in traditional and contemporary techniques, craftsmanship, creativity, visual storytelling, and theological insight. Kordis will also share professional insight on best practices from a working artist perspective. 

As a Capstone Project, students will learn how to envision a sacred space making a specific proposal for beautifying a church. 

With George Kordis as the primary mentor and Master Iconographer of the program, students will also have the opportunity as part of the program requirements to paint part of a church or chapel alongside Dr. Kordis in one of the short term residential periods or as a special internship.  His direct guidance and expertise shapes the success of the learning experience, offering students a unique and rare opportunity to learn from a preeminent figure in contemporary Byzantine art and monumental wall-painting.

Key Program Highlights:

• Direct mentorship with Dr. George Kordis, guiding students with both an approach grounded in both tradition and artistic creativity
• Integrated Approach: Balancing between hands-on practices and theoretical foundations ensuring a holistic understanding of church wall-painting 
• Exposure to the understanding of the creative process within site-specific parameters 
• Rigorous approach to church wall-painting using the Byzantine system
• In-Person Residencies combining immersion in practical learning skills paired with select destinations to study Byzantine Monuments and Churches. 
• International student body creating a global perspective. 
• Culminating experience painting alongside Kordis invites rich dialogue with contemporary themes and practices.

Program Outcomes:

• Proficiency in traditional Byzantine iconography techniques, including fresco painting, silicate, egg tempera, casein and basic gold leaf application.
• Ability to design and execute a church project from start to finish, including concept development, sketching, and painting.
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Professional portfolio development, including a capstone project that demonstrates mastery of the skills and knowledge gained in the program.
• Ability to articulate artistic vision and process, and to engage in dialogue to uphold personal vision for one’s work.
• Resource development for practical use through building a collective image library.
• Understanding of what it takes to operate a church wall-painting business from a business “best practices” perspective.
• Equipped with strong foundation for a successful career as a church wall painter/artist iconographer.

Church Wall-Painting Curriculum Overview

This program is only accepting 12 – 14 students who have a previous foundation in the Byzantine system and/or have completed or passed a certain level of qualification based on Dr. Kordis’s portfolio evaluation.  See TUITION and APPLY for more information.

Other

Ongoing Alumni Support and Opportunities

Once a student has satisfied their Certificate requirements and completed their studies, Writing the Light intends to continue to nurture and enhance the growing community of our artist alumni by various means –  through special teaching assistant opportunities, unique in-person artist studio residency experiences (in Athens, Crete, and other destinations), international exhibition opportunities, various alumni networks and new artist residencies at international destinations. We look towards advancing a rich network of peers who are fully engaged in their practice and actively growing and expanding their creative and professional relationships and ongoing dialogue.