he Icon (The ancient Greek for image) is not only a devotional and ceremonial object but a very beautiful thing to own, making them very good first communion, retirement and christening presents. Painted with the traditional methods of egg tempera and using a very precise way of working, governed by sacred geometry. I use wonderful organic pigments from all over the world, combined with 23.5 carat gold on a specially prepared wooden panel, which truly reflect the glory of heaven. It is thrilling to think that a master from the beginnings of Byzantium could come into my studio and be familiar with my tools and start work. I am an established artist who trained as a botanical illustrator and have exhibited widely. I then went to Loughborough University as mature student, where I painted mainly in oils covering huge canvasses, but it was always the precise and intimate work that has been the most fulfilling. During my final year at university, I went on an icon painting course and that is where everything fell into place. After that there followed a further three years studying under a master iconographer. I work mainly on a commission basis to be able to give the client exactly what they need but I do have some finished pieces ready to go to good homes. I also teach gilding and iconography in small groups in my studio. I have works in collections in Rome, Madrid and Paris as well as in many private collections in Great Britain.