Iconography Apprenticeship Year 1
Ongoing Enrollment
While our courses are no longer available for purchase on the website, St. Raphael School is open to inquiries about enrolling in courses at any time during the year. If you wish to enroll in a Yearlong course for the 2020-2021 school year after the official add/drop deadline (September 21), you will need to contact us directly. We will consider each request on a case-by-case basis after considering several factors, including size of the class, the preparedness of the student, the willingness of the instructor to accommodate a late addition to the class, and the content of the course. If you would like to submit a request for enrollment in an ongoing course, please visit our Contact Us page.
This 6-Year, homework-intensive course is for students wishing to begin the process of fully training their skills as an iconographer, rather than those seeking to try it out. For a shorter introduction to iconography, see the 10-session Iconography Workshops.
Here’s what parents have to say about the Iconography Apprenticeship:
“It is so much more than an art class. My daughter has been fascinated by the ‘historical art parameters’ within which the art is birthed: the use of egg yolk, rock pigment, champagne chalk, rabbit-skin glue! Making her own gesso board this past summer was like a field trip to a medieval monastery. It is a slow, intricate and meticulous (in the best sense) form of art that teaches the virtue of patience and fosters spiritual ‘breathing’; both the media and the intricate processes give space for the contemplation of the subject matter, which is probably the highest goal of any art, but in this case, of the highest art. In short, that which she works on is, we are witnessing, slowly being worked into her.”
- Scott, parent of a 12-year-old Apprentice
“My son told me after his first class…”I think I found my thing, Mom”. He is 13 and has wanted to be a Roman Catholic Priest since he was 3 years old. Who knows what this will do for his future? Mrs. Sider-Rose is such a patient and encouraging mentor and teacher. She has helped my son to view icons in a more spiritual manner and to pull out the theology in the images. His faith is enriched by the depth of the theology woven into the classes and the process of writing the icons. He is a more virtuous child because of the Iconography classes.
- Jessica, parent of a 13-year-old Apprentice
Syllabus
Required Materials*
Please see the required course materials here.
*Required materials are not included in the purchase of the course.
Randi Maria Sider-Rose began painting icons over 20 years ago when she was able to travel to learn from different iconography teachers across the country. Since then, she has married Michael Sider-Rose and completed an MDiv at the University of Chicago Divinity School. As well as taking commissions from churches and individuals, Mrs. Sider-Rose loves to walk with students on the journey of learning to see better and more intentionally, using this “prayer of the hands” to grow in holiness, with God’s grace. Homeschooling her four children in an urban fixer-upper strewn with books, art projects, and Legos helps keep the whole operation real.
Mrs. Sider-Rose and her family attend Saint Moses the Black Orthodox Mission Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she has been blessed by His Grace Bishop Thomas to serve in the ministry of iconography.
E-mail: rsiderrose.raphaelschool@gmail.com
For more information about Mrs. Sider-Rose’s process, please visit her website at www.immanuelicons.org.
Computer: You will need a stable, reliable computer, running with a processor with a speed of 1 GHz or better on one of the following operating systems: Mac OS X with Mac OS 10.7 or later; Windows 8, 7, Vista (with SP1 or later), or XP (with SP3 or later). We do not recommend using an iPad or other tablet for joining classes. An inexpensive laptop or netbook would be a much better solution, as such devices enable you to plug an Ethernet cable directly into your computer. Please note that Chromebooks are allowed but not preferred, as they do not support certain features of the Zoom video conference software such as breakout sessions and annotation, which may be used by our teachers for class activities.
High-Speed Internet Connection: You will also need access to high-speed internet, preferably accessible via Ethernet cable right into your computer. Using Wi-Fi may work, but will not guarantee you the optimal use of your bandwidth. The faster your internet, the better. We recommend using a connection with a download/upload speed of 5/1 Mbps or better. You can test your Internet connection here.
Two Webcams: You may use an external webcam or one that is built in to the computer for your first webcam. The second webcam must be able to be pointed downward at your painting work surface so the teacher can observe your work.
Headset: We recommend using a headset rather than a built-in microphone and speakers. Using a headset reduces the level of background noise heard by the entire class.
Zoom: We use a web conferencing software called Zoom for our classes, which enables students and teachers to gather from around the globe face to face in real time. Zoom is free to download and easy to use. 
To download Zoom:
- Visit zoom.us/download.
- Click to download the first option listed, Zoom Client for Meetings.
- Open and run the installer on your computer.
- Students will be provided with instructions and a link for joining their particular class.
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First, read the available course descriptions, noting prerequisites, target grades, and course objectives. If you think your student is prepared for the course, go ahead and register. After registration, a placement assessment may be provided to students, depending on the course and the student’s previous enrollment with Scholé Academy. Registration is finalized when the student’s placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.
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Please take careful note of our teaching philosophy, our technology requirements, our school policies, the parent agreement, and the distinctions between our grade levels.
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Make sure they don't conflict with other activities in your schedule or other courses you are purchasing. Our system will not catch double-bookings!
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Our Assistant to the Principal will be in touch with you after your enrollment to help you with next steps, including any placement evaluations that may be required for your course selections.
This registration will be finalized when the student's placement assessment has been returned by the course instructor with placement confirmation.