I am Emma Rae Rhead, an artist and icon painter, living and working in the beautiful historic city of Chester, England. 

My work is formed within the Byzantine tradition of icon painting and follows established handcrafted methods of painting in egg tempera using natural pigments and gold leaf on wooden panels. This highly skilled artisan process has been passed down through generations of craftspeople by apprenticeship for centuries.

I have trained with professional iconographer and Orthodox priest, Father Justin Venn of Studio Sanctus, and continue to develop my practice through study and ongoing mentoring with him.

My training has also included study with liturgical artist Aidan Hart at The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts.

I consider a limited number of private commissions each year alongside my ongoing study and developing practice. You can read more about commissions and how I work here.