My thing for the Archangel Gabriel, whose feast day we celebrate today, began over a decade ago during an iconography workshop with Vladislav Andrejev.I'd already painted an icon of Michael the Archangel and the traditional Byzantine image for Gabriel is essential the same, only the colors are flipped. Gabriel has a green outer garment and red inner garment. Michael's outer garment is red and his inner garment is green.
Maybe I developed this affection for Gabriel because of the spiritual and temporal transitions I was experiencing at the time. Or maybe because several layers into the experience, I realized the board was cracked down the center?
Vladislav offered me the option of starting with a new board, but not after wondering if I might also be a little torn (cracked). I opted to keep the board and continue painting. That icon is in my office where I can see it every day.
Five other iconic images of the God's holy messenger decorate my office. I use the ones in this post as desktop image on various computers. I wore a Gabriel medal while writing my book about church communications. I kept wearing it after that book was published.
I'm always hoping to God that the Angel of the Annunciation will deliver some wisdom from God to me.
