"There is only Christ: He is everything and He is in everything."
St. Paul, Colossians 3:11

I honor and revere the Byzantine icons and the profound spirituality of the Othodox churches. I try to bring true devotion and prayer into the process of writing an icon, dependent upon the inspiration of the Blessed Trinity, the saints, holy ones, and the Mother of God. As a Roman Catholic iconographer, I have no intention of assuming to be Orthodox, but continue to pray with many others, for unity brought about by the Spirit, amongst the churches.

This year 2012, begins my 22nd year as an Iconographer and I am very grateful for the tremendous support from around the World. The great bulk of Icons are commissions from individuals, families and Churches. I have been looking at Icons from all ages and times in books I've found and ones given to me. They range from the most ancient with the muted colors age has bestowed on them to two fascinating books of Siberian icons with brilliant hues, almost singular in the world of icons as these icons have retained their vivid colors; so I learn something new from every one. Every once in awhile I stop and copy an icon I've been longing to give you, such as the new Christ Emmanuel I just finished this Christmas Season. The Christ Emmanuel is the center of a Deesis from 13th century Russia.

Abundant blessings,
Fr Bill McNichols

Artist Biography

William Hart McNichols has been "drawing and coloring in his room" since he was five years old.
He was born to Marjory Hart McNichols and Stephen McNichols on July 10, 1949 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver Colorado.

He was a member of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) from September 1, 1968 to December 16, 2002. He studied philosophy, theology, and art at St. Louis University, Boston College, Boston University and Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Father Bill furthered his art studies at California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, California in 1977.

He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest by Archbishop James Casey, in Denver, May 25, 1979.

In 1983 he received a Master of Fine Arts in landscape painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

From 1983 - 1990 he worked with the wonderful AIDS Hospice team of St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan, New York. He also illustrated 25 books, mostly children's books for Paulist Press during this time.

In September 1990, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico to study the technique, history and spirituality of icon painting (technically "icon writing") with Russian-American master, Robert Lentz. He also assists with sacramental ministry in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In January 2007, Father Bill began to work on the Publication Ministry of the Icons. Artist representative and director of the ministry is Sheila Seclearr.

From September 4, 2008 to January 18, 2009 his first icon exhibit, Silence of the Storm: Icons and Images, featuring 26 originals was at the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico. Currently several originals and many reproductions are on exhibit at Solstice Gallery, 134 Bent St. in Taos NM.