Icon Writing at MAVC School of Art 

To paint or to write an icon? Why is the placement of blue and red so significant? Why do only the halos extend beyond the frame? These fundamental questions were explored during a hands-on Icon Writing course organised by the Pastoral Formation Institute in collaboration with the MAVC School of Art, led by iconographer Rev. Peter Paul Sultana. 

Over twenty participants were introduced to the theological, spiritual, and technical foundations of icon writing, gaining insight into the iconographer’s mission to create a window to the divine. The course began at the Malta School of Art, where students focused on design transfer and composition, before continuing with a full-day immersion at Balluta Parish, home to the lecturer’s studio. There, participants engaged directly with the traditional processes of pigment preparation, colour mixing, and application—an artistic and contemplative journey they will continue independently over the Christmas period. In January, the group will return to the School of Art to complete the gilding and varnishing stages, culminating in the blessing of their completed icons.