Byzantika - Hand-crafted Gifts of Distinction

Happy Xmas

2012-01-06T22:47:00.000-08:00

To all my Orthodox friends: HAPPY CHRISTMAS! Wish u all the best to u and ur families!
Srećno Badnje veče i Božić svim Pravoslavnim vernicima
Neka Vas greje vatra sveta neka Vam srećom kuća cveta.
Badnjak se loži vatra plamti zdravlje i sreća neka Vas prati.
Srećno Badnje veče i Božić. Mir Božji Hristos se rodi.

Oplenac Royal Mausoleum, Serbia

2011-09-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

As Byzantika was relocated from Denmark to Australia, and had an extended break, here is my first post in a while. I am currently on holiday in Europe gathering supplies and inspiration for upcoming projects. Be sure to keep an eye out soon for new Byzantika products.

I found a big source of inspiration at the Oplenac Royal Mausoleum Опленац (where I took these few photos), the historic place of the mausoleum of the Serbian Karađorđević Royal Family located in central Serbia near the town of Topola. It is known for the St. George Church (црква светог Ђорђа). The Foundation in Oplenac is named after King Peter I of Yugoslavia.The initial idea of King Peter I was to carve into the walls the names of all soldiers and officers who had perished in the Balkan Wars of 1912 and 1913. But, since the church was not fully completed, and since First World War followed (1914-1918), this idea had to be abandoned. The solution was to decorate the interior of the temple with mosaics, which would be a sort of a museum of reproductions of the prettiest frescoes of the Serbian medieval arts. Copies from 60 Serbian medieval churches and monasteries had been brought to the St. George church at Oplenac. The entire mosaic has 725 painted compositions (513 in the temple and 212 in the crypt), on which there are 1500 figures. The entire area of the mosaic is 3,500 square metres with 40 million various coloured pieces of glass which have 15 thousand different varieties of colour, making the most vivid artistic impression.

Information above is from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oplenac if you wish to read more about this amazing church and mausoleum please follow the link.

39 Onyx slabs cover the final resting place of members of the Karageorge Dynasty on the lower floor.

My Latest Art

2010-10-04T06:58:00.000-07:00

The altarpiece "Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saint Justus of Volterra and Saint Margaret of Antioch" by Sebastiano Mainardi (1466–1513)

I painted section of this masterpiece for a very good friend as he wanted this to be surprise gift for his wife, as wedding anniversary gift.

Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saint Justus of Volterra and Saint Margaret of Antioch is considered a major work of Mainardi’s from late in his career. Created in 1507 during the height of the Italian Renaissance, the 63.5- by 61-inch painting was commissioned to adorn the altar of a church. The altarpiece has significant provenance, having belonged to popular American novelist and Indianapolis native Booth Tarkington. It was donated by Mrs. Tarkington in honor of her late husband in 1951, and was displayed at the John Herron Museum of Art. Upon entry into the Indianapolis Museum of Art collections, the work was already in precarious condition and its appearance had changed drastically since 1507. At some time in its history, long before it entered the museum’s collection, the wood panel suffered serious insect infestation. Fluctuations in temperature and humidity in the church where the painting was originally displayed also contributed to its poor condition.

Various restorers over the centuries had made many attempts to reduce the effects of past damage, but some of their methods did not have a desirable outcome. The structure had deteriorated extensively due to an earlier elaborate cradle bracing system constructed for the painting. In 1961 its condition was declared "extremely hazardous," and the piece was finally deemed to be"unexhibitable" in 1965. Owing to its increasingly fragile condition and the difficulty of conserving it, the altarpiece was then held in IMA storage for more than 40 years.

NEW Byzantika Memory Staves FOR SALE

2010-02-02T03:24:00.000-08:00

NEW Byzantika Memory Staves FOR SALE

Like fragmented memories and treasured relics of the past, Byzantika has started production of an enchanting series of Memory Staves!

300 year-old wooden blocks serve as the perfect canvas upon which this collection of iconic Byzantine-inspired images have been painted. Each measuring approximately 15 x 17cm, these Memory Staves are small enough to mix and match and display in wall-mounted groupings, or dot about your home to bring a feeling of old-world opulence.

Please contact me for more info!

Price is €99

Happy Xmas and new 2010

2009-12-20T08:54:00.001-08:00

NEW Byzantika Memory Staves

2009-12-06T09:42:00.001-08:00

NEW Byzantika Memory Staves FOR SALE

Like fragmented memories and treasured relics of the past, Byzantika has started production of an enchanting series of Memory Staves!

Please contact me for more info!

Byzantika will be adding new designs to the gallery, so be sure to check back often for new inclusions! Price is €99

Xmas Market

2009-12-05T09:36:00.001-08:00

Byzantika has been very busy in the leadup to the holiday season, 2009!
Aside from a heavily advertised showing gallery in Odense today and tomorrow, (Dec 5th and 6th), I have been painting a lovely new icon of Saint Nikolaos - patron saint of sailors, merchants, archers, children and students! He is a work in progress, and I will be posting proper pics soon.

In the meantime I am busy creating some new items to sell, one of which is a series of hand-made Christmas cards based on some of my work (all individually cello-wrapped with envelopes)!
Take a sneak peek at the photos above.

Stay tuned for more photos and news on this blog and Byzantika.com!

Mira.

Archangel Gabriel

2009-11-16T06:58:00.001-08:00

Here is my latest Icon that I finished last Friday (the varnish is still wet on it in the final photo). I have placed all the photos of stage one to the end. It has been painted on the old wooden floor boards from a house build in 1600... its painted in the traditional method, and the detail around the neck with liquid gold.

This icon is about 40cm and its for sale in the gallery for €980. It can be also purchased by contacting me directly - please email me for more information (free shipping)

How to order an Icon

2009-10-23T11:26:00.000-07:00

ORDERING A HAND-MADE ICON IS A 3-STEP PROCESS. HERE ARE THE STEPS THAT I WILL TAKE WITH YOU TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT PIECE.

1. CHOOSE A SAINT, ANGEL OR RELIGIOUS FIGURE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE PORTRAYED. THIS CAN BE BASED ON A NAME, A PATRON FAMILY SAINT, OR EVEN YOUR PROFESSION.

2. THINK ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE PIECE, AND MATERIALS YOU’D LIKE USED. ALSO KEEP AN IDEA OF BUDGET IN MIND. COSTS VARY GREATLY DEPENDING ON THE SIZE AND COMPLEXITY OF AN ICON, AS WELL AS THE MATERIALS CHOSEN. FOR EXAMPLE, AGED WOOD AND 24KT GOLD LEAF WILL ULTIMATELY COST MORE THAN ACRYLIC PAINTS AND CANVAS.

3. EMAIL ME WITH YOUR IDEAS, AND I WILL WORK WITH YOU ON A DESIGN, AND GIVE YOU AN IDICATION OF THE TIMELINES INVOLVED. A 30% NON-REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT WILL NEED TO BE GIVEN TO COVER THE COST OF STARTUP MATERIALS, AND THE BALANCE PAID UPON COMPLETION.

Email me if you have more questionS, follow the link on http://www.byzantika.com/orders.html

New Gallery, Izlozba u novoj galeriji

2009-09-10T04:15:00.000-07:00

From today my Art will be presented for sale in the new gallery in Odense, Denmark. It has been a while since I posted something. All this time it took me to created this artwork for a new gallery its also the reson I didnt have time to write anything. So Thanks you all my readers for stying loyal to me. I want you to know how greatufull I am for your time that you take to read this blog. Big hug from me and hope you like the new art.

Od danas ce moji radovi biti izlozeni i na prodaju u novoj galeriji u Odensu, Danska. Znam da je bilo odavo od kad sam pisala zadnji post. Kao sto vidite sve ovo vreme mi je bilo potrebno za nove ikone i zbog toga sam bila sprecena da vam pisem. Zato ovom priilikom zelim da vam se od srca za

hvalim na podrsci. Zelim da znate koliko postujem vreme koje ste izdvojili da poverite mom blogu.

Sledece nedelje cu najzad biti u Srbiji tako da se sa nekima od vas i uzivo vidim i popijem kaficu.

Takodje ima planove da prvi put posetim manastir Milesevo i vidim ikonu Belog Andjela uzivo.

Saljem vam veliki zagrljaj i vidimo se uskoro.

Artwork in progress...

2009-08-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

I have been approached by a new gallery in Odense where my art will be displayed from 10th of September, so I have been very busy. In the photo above you can see the portrait of St John the baptist in the beginning stages (tracing on the wood). And below you can see some of my wood in the raw state, before it becomes Art.

I will post new photos as soon I have got all the art ready for the new gallery... so see you again after 10th of September.

Sincerely,

Mirjana

Opening of the gallery Lind&James

2009-07-20T08:02:00.001-07:00

Here are few photos from this weekend. It was the opening of the gallery Lind&James. There I have few of my Art works on display and for sale. Glad to have an opportunity to show something that most of the galleries Denmark don't have.

White Angel

2009-07-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

My Icon is inspired by the most famous frescoes in Serbian culture (its also the only one in the world). It depicts an angel sitting in front of the tomb of Christ.

White Angel Serbian: Бели анђео (photo above) is a fresco from the Mileseva monastery, circa 1222-1228 AD in Serbia, Myrrhbearers on Christ's Grave (Mironosnice na Hristovom grobu).
Icon is showing the angel, dressed in white, who greeted the Myrrh-bearing women when they came to Christ's tomb. Sitting calmly, the angel of the Resurrection points out the empty tomb to the holy women, who withdrew in terror on beholding the sight. He then commanded them to tell the disciples that the Lord is risen from the dead. This famous icon is from a wall painting called in that monastery "The Holy Women at the Tomb." This monastery has frescoes by the most skillful artists of that time and belongs to a Latin period in Byzantine art.

My Icon will be in the gallery in Faaborg in Denmark from 18th of July and for price, orders or any questions please contact me.

Archangel Raphael

2009-07-16T03:45:00.000-07:00

Last week I finished Icon of Archangel Raphael for a friend, size of the Icon is 193x70cm and its made with egg tempera, traditional way.
This will also be in the exhibition on the 18th of July. Here you are able to see some of the stages and you can imagine the time I spend creatting this. It has become almost a full time job, and it has been my dream to be an artist... so I hope this will make me or break me.

Welcome to the Byzantika Blog

2009-07-12T05:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting the Byzantika blog and webspace. My name is Mirjana, and I am what is known as a hagiographer; that is, a person that has learned the history and methodology of depicting saints and religious themes using traditional techniques and materials. My work has been featured on national television in my home country of Serbia, and also sold in Australia. I am now living in Denmark, and set to exhibit my work here on July 18th.

The purpose of this blog is to give you, dear reader, an insight into what goes on behind the scenes... the methods, the techniques and the madness that goes on right here in the Byzantika home studio. I would be delighted to answer questions and hear your comments. Orders are welcome too!

Be well, and be sure to visit often...

Mirjana.