Father Jon Buffington
Master Iconographer
Fr. Jon Buffington, a Chaldean Catholic Priest, began his priesthood in 1981 as chaplain at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. For three years, he served as secretary to the new Chaldean Bishop and Chancellor of the new Chaldean Eparchy in Detroit, returning to San Francisco to begin a 30-year career in hospital chaplaincy. In 1990, Fr. Jon become a Chaplain at Providence Portland Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.
Ania Kocurek Williams
Lead Iconography Instructor
Ania Kocurek-Williams was born in Poland where she received her formal education in art and art history.
She came to the US in 2001 and shortly thereafter, began her studies in iconography at the Iconographic Arts Institute in Mt. Angel, Oregon where she became an instructor in 2006. For over thirteen years, Ania’s primary responsibility was teaching the foundation of iconography to beginning students. Her passion for drawing and sacred geometry served as a strong foundation to teach not only painting, but drawing within the rubrics of underlying geometry.
Fernanda DeClercq
Beginning Iconography Instructor
Fernanda De Clercq was born in Argentina to Belgian parents and has lived in Oregon for 33 years. Her art education began at Reed College including studies under Professor Michael Knutson.
Christine Thum Schlesser
Executive Director
Christine spent every other summer with her family in Germany, where ancient churches and monasteries inspired her love of sacred art and antiquity. Christine earned a BA in International Studies, Russian & German at Willamette University where she enjoyed every art history course offered. Byzantine art and icons received far less attention than the Renaissance, but it was the sacredness of this art that held her attention until 2017 when she began studying traditional egg tempera iconography with Master Iconographer, Fr. Jon Buffington, and the Iconographic Arts Institute at Mt. Angel.