About
The Painted Angel is a showcase for the traditional art of Winchester-based artist and iconographer Caroline Coleman.
The method of combining a binding material with pigment is the oldest form of painting known to man. The ancient wall paintings of Egypt and Babylon are all tempera, as are the paintings of Giotto, Botticelli, Fra Lippo Lippi, Raphael, Titian, Tintoretto and other Masters. All traditional paint used by Caroline is handmade in this way using egg yolk or egg white, glue, or gum combined with pigments she grinds herself. Other materials such as gesso, varnish, and basic ingredients are also handmade, in many cases following the traditional techniques and practices recommended by Cennino Cennini. Icons are painted exclusively in egg tempera, primarily in the traditional Greek Byzantine manner but Caroline also enjoys experimenting with different traditional media and styles of traditional painting as a way of learning new techniques.
Caroline has never attended Art College and is primarily self-taught. However, she has been privileged to receive guidance from several leading artists and artisans whose extraordinary skill and professionalism are a continual inspiration. From 2006 until 2013 she worked with Aidan Hart, studying icon painting and in 2009 joined the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts Liturgical programme.
At Art in Action 2011 and 2012, Caroline was a demonstrator on behalf of the Prince's School and in 2012 she received a scholarship from the Nikos Sofiakis Centre in Athens enabling her to continue studying. She graduated from the Prince’s School in 2013 with a Diploma in Icon and Wall Painting.
In her final year Caroline started to also work on vellum, re-creating beautiful “illuminated” miniature pictures and designs using handmade water colour or egg tempera with precious minerals such a lapis lazuli, azurite, malachite, and rare historic pigments such as cinnabar and minium. The illuminations also use 24 carat gold in various forms and some include gemstones.
Caroline continues to challenge herself and expand the boundaries of her learning and skills, studying the Old Masters and working with new ‘Masters’. More recently she has been exploring the unifying role of sacred geometry and symbolism in design and nature.
Caroline is also an Art Therapist and UKCP registered Core Process psychotherapist (Karuna Institute) in private practice near Winchester.
Curriculum Vitae
| Geometry of Nature (Tom Bree) | Emerson College 2016 |
| The Flemish Technique (David Cranswick) | Cowdray Studios 2015 |
| Miniature Mughal Painting (Master Ajay Sharma) | The Prince's School of Traditional Art 2014 |
| Illuminating Manuscripts (Christabel Anderson) | London 2013 |
| Diploma in Icon and Wall Painting (Tutor Aidan Hart) | The Prince's School of Traditional Art 2013 |
| Art in Action. Demonstrator for The Prince's School | Waterperry House, Oxford 2012 |
| Advanced Medieval Manuscript Painting (Helen White) | The Prince's School in Traditional Art 2012 |
| The Art of Gilding | Walcot Hall, Shropshire 2012 |
| Art in Action. Demonstrator for The Prince's School | Waterperry House, Oxford 2011 |
| Medieval Manuscript Painting (Helen White) | The Prince's School of Traditional Art 2011 |
| Icon Painting (Aidan Hart) | Walcot Hall, Shropshire 2007 & 2008 |
| Gilding Techniques (Christine Powell) | V&A Museum, London. 2006 |
| Egg Tempera Painting (Prof. Marina Wallace) | V&A Museum, London. 2006 |