GREAT ICONS

Madonna of the Woods

CHARALAMBOS  EPAMINONDA was born in Paphos and raised in Stroumbi (Cyprus). He said he  watched the world, the people, and painted them.

He learned Byzantine art from Father Simeon Mavrovouniti. Later he studied with Father Simeon Peruvian, at Holy Mountain (Mountain Athos) and in the Athens School of Fine arts and the University of Thesalonika.

He wrote, illustrated, and published ten books of which two were honored with a state award for literature and illustration.

St. David

He lives with his family in Stroumbi where he has his workshop. Some consider him to be the greatest contemporary icon artist. I -love his works, not only for the colors but for the birds and floral patterns which appear in his works. Compared with most icons his work exudes warmth and humanity.

The Sower & the Seed

John Kohan (SACRED ART PILGRIM) wrote: he remains calm and centered, a man at peace with himself, and a paradigm, for me, of a spiritually-centered artist, indifferent to commercial success or critical acclaim... I asked Charalambos to paint a triptych, based on my three favorite parables from the Gospel of Luke, the Prodigal Son, the Sower and the Seed, and the Good Samaritan, giving him a free hand in the arrangement of the images. He came up with three separate paintings, united in composition and conception...

The Good Samaritan

The Prodigal Son

...Not only are humans reconciled one with another in these wonderful images, but the whole created order, animate and inanimate, water, plants, fish and birds are drawn toward the powerful central figure of Christ, the Sower of the Seed, the Renewer of Life.

This schema is repeated in a different color palette is his lovely little painting, Madonna of the Woods.