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Five-Day Icon Painting Masterclass 
with Master Iconographer Peter Murphy

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 Byzantine Icon Painting with Peter Murphy at Ampleforth Abbey. Full details follow.

Master iconographer and experienced retreat leader Peter Murphy will team up with North Yorks Art School to deliver a five-day Byzantine Icon Painting course at Ampleforth Abbey from Monday 30th June to Friday 4th July 2025.

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This course is suitable for beginners, but more seasoned artists are welcome. 

 

The subject of the course will be an icon of the head of Christ in the traditional Byzantine style. Over the course of the week, students will learn how to gild and paint on a specially prepared wooden panel using traditional medieval techniques and materials. This will include ‘water gilding’, with 24-carat gold leaf over clay bole for backgrounds and halos. Students will also learn how to use egg tempera paint made fresh each day from free range egg yolks. Natural pigments will be used to model robes and figures etc.

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Course Materials


All necessary materials are included in the course fee, ensuring participants have access to high-quality tools and supplies, including:

- A handmade, gessoed Serbian lime wood icon panel.
- 24-carat gold leaf for gilding.
- Organic mineral pigments for paint preparation.
- Specialist gilding tools and professional-grade paintbrushes.
- Step-by-step worksheets to guide the process.

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About sacred icons and panel paintings in egg tempera

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Icons are not really art that is meant to be hung in galleries or museums. Icons are Church Art that has a liturgical function. Crucially, what icons do, is place the liturgy in context. It is an attempt to make the inside of a church building into something like a reflection of the reality of heaven. 

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​Some Orthodox theologians have referred to the icon simply as, ‘The first fruits of redemption’; they are considered by some to be nothing less than redeemed matter, reflecting both the outpouring of God’s love for his creation and the iconographers reciprocating love for his creator. An offering, in love, of all the material elements of creation, the wood of the tree, the rocks of the earth, eggs from hens, fur from a squirrel, all reverently assembled and offered back to their creator as witness to the icon painters' personal willingness to try and help participate in the creation of the New Jerusalem. ​

About Peter Murphy

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Peter Murphy was born in Leeds and was educated at the University of East London. He trained with iconographer Guillem Ramos Poqui in London. He was Vice Chairman of the Society of Tempera Painters and is a member of the British Association of Iconographers. He has been commissioned by a number of churches in the UK and has also been employed by a number of museums and has recently undertaken three major commissions for Hereford Cathedral. For more information about Peter and his work please visit: petermurphyicons.co.uk​

Securing your place on this course

North Yorks Art School retreats are tailored to suit your preferences, with two flexible options to choose from. See below for details.

Option One: 

Four-Day Course Only

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This option is perfect for those who prefer to arrange their own accommodation while attending the course, which includes:

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  • Comprehensive tuition from an expert instructor.

  • All necessary materials, tools, and resources.

  • Lunch and refreshments each day, keeping you energised and focused.

 

With this choice, participants are free to explore and book nearby accommodation that suits their needs, offering flexibility and the chance to enjoy the beautiful surrounding area at their leisure.

Option 2:

Five-Day Course + All-Inclusive Stay at Ampleforth Abbey

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For a truly immersive experience, choose our course with all-inclusive accommodation. This package includes everything from the five-day course as well as a four or five-night stay at the historic Ampleforth Abbey.

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Guests staying at the Abbey enjoy:

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  • Comfortable accommodations within the tranquil and inspiring Abbey grounds.

  • All meals provided, offering delicious and nourishing cuisine throughout your stay.

  • The opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the peaceful and contemplative atmosphere of this retreat.

 

By choosing this option, you can focus entirely on your creative journey, leaving the details of accommodation and meals to us. 

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There are a number of room options available and you also have the option to bring along someone not attending the course for a small additional fee.

Other NYAS events at Ampleforth Abbey

How to Find Us

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bookaclass.org events in Ampleforth are located at:

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AMPLEFORTH ABBEY

ALBAN ROE HOUSE

YORK

YO62 4EN

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Road
Ampleforth Abbey is a 45 minute drive from the centre of York, 50 minutes from Harrogate and 25 minutes from Thirsk by car. Please note, we have a 10mph speed limit on site and we ask that drivers adhere to the speed restriction to ensure the safety to all pedestrians on site.

 

Once you arrive, please follow the green 'Visitor Parking' signs which will take to the car park at Alban Roe House Visitor Centre.

Rail
Trains run regularly from King's Cross, London to York. The journey takes approximately two hours and trains run at half hourly intervals during the day. Times are available on the National Rail website.

Bus
Reliance Buses, service 31X, provide a bus service from York to Ampleforth.

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