Heiko Schlieper

Heinrich (Heiko) Schlieper (1931-2008)

Early life of Heinrich (Heiko) Schlieper

Heinrich Conrad Schlieper was born on 25 May, 1931, in Chesley, Ontario, Canada.

Although his official name was Heinrich, he was generally referred to as "Heiko". The nicknames in his family's older custom seems to have been made of part of both given names, as was the case with Heiko. As he said, his nickname "Heiko" comes both from "Heinrich" (of which it is often used as a short form), and in some way from "Conrad". "Heiko" is also an Old German name in itself. "Heinrich" alone is a compound word. It is a combination of 2 Old German words, which gives the meaning "master of the house" and "powerful, rich". "Conrad" is derived from an Old German name meaning "brave", "bold ruler", "counsel". The meanings of both given names, and of Heiko also, are complementary.

Heiko Schlieper's family origin was in the region of Bavaria in Germany. He was baptised in infancy as a Lutheran.

Early in his life, along with his family, Heiko moved to Montréal, Québec, where he grew up.

It was there also that he received much of his education.

During the years when he was still in school in Montréal, Heiko took art lessons from Arthur Lismer, a painter in the "Group of Seven".

First phase of work

As a prelude to his life's work, Heiko Schlieper began in 1953 with temporary work first on an early attempt at constructing a computer in Montréal. (The first computer in Canada had been constructed a few years earlier at the University of Toronto.) This computer was owned by the inventor of radar, Sir Robert Watson-Watt, who had moved to Canada and married in 1952. He had also established a technical company "Adalia" (this name is still used by some Montréal companies). He hired computer experts and he carried out a feasibility study in 1953. This first work, however, had nothing to do with Heiko’s future career.

Second phase : higher education ; teaching career ; retirement

Once Heiko had completed his post-secondary studies, as an academic, the second period of his work began.

First, he taught at Saint George's Private High School of Montréal from about 1961 to 1966.

After this, he began to teach at McGill University as an Assistant Professor. He taught East European and Soviet History. When he ceased teaching at McGill, he was an Associate Professor.

Heiko also taught courses at the University of Ottawa in Ottawa, Ontario, and at the Royal Military College St-Jean, at Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, 43 km (27 mi) south of Montréal. However, he did this without any permanent appointment, and in addition to his teaching at McGill.

Over all, he specialised in Eastern European, Balkan, and Byzantine history.

By 1976, however, he had become weary of teaching, and he retired from academia.

Third phase : iconographic development

With this retirement began the third, very productive and very creative period of his life. This was the period of iconography. Upon retirement, he moved to Ottawa, Ontario, so that he could devote himself full-time to Orthodox iconography. He had been exposed to the nature, purpose, and theological meaning of icons during the many years of his studies of Eastern Roman ("Byzantine") history. In fact, the place of iconography throughout the territory of the Eastern Roman Empire was prominent, and it could not be missed. Heiko did not miss it. Iconography attracted the interest of his heart, and he not only studied its history and meaning, but he also began to learn the techniques of iconography.

In our days of exaggerated concern about formal qualifications, some may question that Heiko was, in fact, a self-taught iconographer. He was certainly not the first such iconographer. Moreover, there are few places in the world where iconography is taught in a classroom environment. The most usual method of learning how to make icons is through some form of apprenticeship.

Strictly speaking, icons are painted, not written, as is often suggested. The technique itself is a painting technique, supported by prayer and theology. It is, in part, because of the fact that icons express theology that there is a strong opinion that icons are "written". However, Orthodox Christian singing has a similar function to iconography. The melodies are arranged so as to convey the meanings of the words. The words take precedence over the melody, and the melody is the "servant" of the words. The chant remains a chant while it conveys the theology of the words : in is not simply music.

Despite being painted, icons are not "art", as "art" is usually understood, but rather a pictorial expression of theology. They express Orthodox theology in images. Even at that time, there was enough written information both about the techniques and about the theology involved that a sufficiently intelligent, prayerful and gifted person could come to being able to prepare icons both correctly and well. Heiko himself had all that was required, including motivation and artistic training. Because he had already learnt about painting with watercolour, and he knew about the egg-tempera technique (the ancient method used for many icons), he was easily able to adapt and apply his knowledge. Regardless of how a person learns the technique of iconography, it takes a long time to become proficient. Besides all this, as we saw previously, Heiko had taken lessons earlier from one of the most famous painters in Canada, Arthur Lismer.

Reception into the Orthodox Christian Church, 1983

It was in Ottawa, also, that he was received into the Orthodox Christian Church, at the Holy Transfiguration Mission in 1983. He was received by Father John Scratch, whom he loved greatly. He received the name “John”, after Saint John the Theologian. He was, however, seldom called anything but Heiko. Father John was his pastor again for a time when Heiko was working in Edmonton, Alberta, and Father John was serving at Saint Herman of Alaska Sobor there.

Heiko was a most creative person. This was so much so that his wife Anne related that during visits, for instance, he would whittle spoons for the children, and each spoon would have the initials of its owner carved into the handle. He was always making something beautiful and useful. His hands were not idle.

Mural iconography in Toronto and Edmonton : 1980s, 1990s

In time, Heiko became a renowned Canadian iconographer.

During the 1980s, he completed the iconographic wall murals in the Pokrova Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toronto. This work took 5 years to accomplish. There exists a short film about him, made in the 1990s for Vision TV, which includes an interview with Kristi Jarmus (now a "matushka", and also an iconographer), and also with scenes of his wall murals from Saint George’s Church in Edmonton, his next major work.

Saint George the Victory-Bearer Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edmonton, Alberta, is perhaps appropriately styled his master-piece, and it is a great work. This iconography took about 7 years to complete, and the area of the walls covered is equal to half an acre. The iconography of this church follows a traditional programme for such work. It includes the major and minor feasts of the Orthodox Church, 20 scenes from the Passion of Christ (following the Gospel according to John), and scenes of Old Testament salvation history.

With regard to the iconography at Saint George's Church, in conversation with David Goa, Heiko took into consideration the palette (the range of colours, tone and warmth) and the style he would adopt for the iconographic programme of Saint George’s Church.

He imagined himself back into the early centuries of Kievan-Rus', as a young iconographer who travelled to Constantinople to study with a classical Byzantine iconographer. He wanted to avoid the more recent traditions of church painting that drew on the baroque fashion of pious painting imported from the West that had become common in Ukraine and in North America.

This western influence appeals to the emotions of the viewer through realistic portrayals with the use of shadows, whereas the "Byzantine" (East Roman) method makes clear theological statements in images that are not pretending to be a living portrait, but rather a symbolic presentation.

The palette of colours used by Heiko in this church reflects the taste common in Ukraine. The icongraphic arrangement is classically "Byzantine" as is the portrayal of the Grace (not the passions) that illuminates the presence of those sanctified by Jesus Christ.

The iconography at Saint George's included representations of the feast-days of the Resurrection of Lazarus through to Thomas Sunday. This series accompanies the liturgical services of Great Lent through Pascha and the theophanies (manifestations of God) during Bright Week.

Some examples of Heiko's work at Saint George's Church

Description of some aspects of iconography

As was explained by Igumen Vladimir (Lysak), who had studied with him previously, the work of iconography in Saint George's Church began by attaching canvas to the existing walls, and then applying plaster over that. After this, all the walls were gessoed. Gesso (chalk) is a word originating in Latin and Greek, meaning “gypsum”. Gesso is a white mixture, consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these. It is used as a preparation for any number of foundations such as wood panels, canvas and sculpture, over which paint and other materials are applied. The application of gesso is very time-consuming, and it requires careful sanding so that the surface is completely smooth.

It is only then that the sketches could begin to be written, followed by the application of the colours. The colour is then applied, using the traditional and ancient technique of egg-tempera. Egg-tempera is the result of mixing egg-yolks, water and natural mineral pigments. In addition, there was in this case the use of gold-leaf for the nimbuses (sometimes called "halo") of saints, and for certain other details. Bringing an icon to completion always requires the painstaking application of very many thin layers of this egg-tempera paint.

Heiko took joy in the weekly delivery of fresh eggs (for the egg-tempera) brought to him by a parishioner, eggs she gathered at her farm just outside Edmonton and brought for him when she came on Sundays to the Divine Liturgy.

In an article written in 1997 for the news magazine "Alberta Report", Father Vladimir reported that Heiko described 3 levels on which an iconographer has to work. The first and lowest level is the technical, that is, preparing the icon in the traditional, approved, appropriate and correct way. The second level is the intellectual. This phase includes developing a thorough knowledge and understanding of Scripture, theology, tradition, liturgy, patristic writing, history, the canons, and other such factors, according to the measure they are involved in each subject. The third level is the highest and most difficult. This is the spiritual level, which implies the spiritual struggle, the pilgrimage of the iconographer’s whole life. This spiritual struggle has simply to do with the deepening of the personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and the voluntary uniting of the iconographer’s will and whole life to the will of God and to His self-emptying and selfless Love.

Heiko made many smaller panel icons of various sizes, and these were often prepared in the evenings after he had spent the daytime hours doing one of his major works.

Heiko Schlieper painting

Heiko also prepared a suite of festal icons for the "Anno Domini : Jesus throughout the Centuries" exhibition at the Alberta Provincial Museum in Edmonton. The exhibition was curated by Professor David J Goa in 2000 in order to mark the Millennium of the Birth of Jesus Christ. On many occasions during the 3 months the exhibition was at the museum, Orthodox Faithful would venerate the icons, a practice David encouraged despite the fact that it startled the security staff. Icons were created for the purpose of being venerated, not to be simple pieces of art. A similar phenomenon occurs in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia, for instance.

During the course of this exhibition, he prepared from the beginning and wrote to its completion what was described as a huge icon of Christ's Entry into Jerusalem. He prepared this icon in public in the museum.

Considering the context of Heiko’s labours of love in producing theologically correct and beautiful icons for God’s glory, it would be no surprise that he was very often at a distance physically from his family for long periods of time. Nevertheless, said his wife, he remained in constant and frequent contact with her and their sons, and there was no neglect reported, but rather love. Heiko had a very lively sense of humour, indeed, and it appeared in different ways, most particularly at the annual Pascha “picnic” in Ottawa in the cathedral parish.

Heiko's panel icons are in museums and private collections around the world. and they have been featured in a number of exhibitions. The major collection of his work is kept in the at All Saints Monastery H C Schlieper Museum of Iconography at All Saints Monastery in Dewdney, British Columbia, which owns the collection. All Saints Monastery has published Heiko's book about iconography, “The Life of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos : The Schlieper Iconographic Handbook of Icons”.

1998 visit to Constantinople/Istanbul and other places

In the autumn of 1998, David Goa took Heiko and Vladikas Lazar (Puhalo) and Varlaam (Novakshonoff) on a research trip that included time in Constantinople :

 We pulled up to the Sultanahmet midway between the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. 
 Heiko was giddy as he stepped out of the taxi.  Immediately the call to prayer rang out 
 across the city and Heiko stood there laughing and weeping, a life-long dream having come 
 to fruition. 
 
 Visiting the Hagia Sophia the next morning was a home-coming for him.  He knew every stone 
 in the Great Church from his years of study.  Now, he touched these stones.

A few days later, they visited the "Kariye Djami" (the Temple of the Monastery of Chora) which had been a mosque since 1453. In this Temple, one sees some of the finest mosaics and frescoes in the Eastern Roman world, including a large suite of icons which depict all the occasions of Divine healing in the Bible. Vladika Lazar and David had often spoken about the “three unmercenary physicians”, the first-century women medical doctors, the sisters Zenaida and Philonella, cousins of the Apostle Paul, and Hermione. David turned to Vladika Lazar and Heiko and said, “Vladika ! Commission an icon of the three unmercenary physicians from Heiko now”. While no prototype can be found of this icon, his portrayal of these saints (in harmony with the usual historical presentation of such saints, including Saints Cosmas and Damian) is one of Heiko’s singular contributions to the living tradition of Orthodoxy.

Icon of Saints Hermione, Philonella, Zenaida, Unmercenary Physicians

Heiko Schlieper and Dr. David Goa

Heiko Schlieper Icon Museum and Centre for Iconography, Dewdney, British Columbia, 2004

On the afternoon of 2 October, 2004, about 50 persons from several parishes were present at the Monastery of All Saints of North America in Dewdney British Columbia. They were welcoming the distinguished Canadian iconographer, Heiko Schlieper, and celebrating the opening of an icon museum and centre for iconography that now bore his name. Archbishop Lazar (Puhalo) opened the museum officially, after which David Goa gave a biographical introduction about Heiko Schlieper, who was himself present.

Heiko was not one to speak about himself. Professor Goa explained that Heiko had begun studying iconography in the early 1950s, and that Heiko had left his academic career at McGill University in 1976 in order to dedicate himself to iconography on a full-time basis. He added that the intention in establishing this museum was to provide a source of inspiration and reference resource for iconographers throughout North America.

There was an interval during which those present visited the more than 50 icons belonging to this exhibit. At this time, one could hear conversations in English, Romanian, Russian, Arabic, and Greek. Then Archbishop Lazar gave a concluding talk, “The Icon as Scripture”, and the day concluded with the serving of Vespers in the monastery chapel.

Heiko C Schlieper museum in Dewdney opens, 2004

Heiko Schlieper’s “Handbook of Orthodox Iconography” and other writings

David Goa of Edmonton added a commentary about his writings in a book-review in the “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (p. 10). It was Synaxis Press that undertook the publication of the multi-volume “Handbook of Orthodox Iconography” written by Heiko Schlieper. In the monastery’s museum dedicated to him, a body of Heiko’s icons constitutes the core of the collection, along with a large suite of drawings and other memorabilia associated with the remarkable contribution of this renowned Canadian Orthodox iconographer.

“The Life of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos” has an introductory essay by Heiko, in which he writes about his approach to iconography, and also about the prototypes that have informed his work over the previous 30 years. The book then unfolds some 76 drawings from the “Offering of Joachim and Anna” through to “Thomas Displaying the Virgin’s Sash”. Each drawing is accompanied by an explanatory note about the icon and on the prototype for Heiko’s drawing. Great iconographers and schools of iconography have produced handbooks such as this over the last thousand years, and no doubt before that as well.

None of the books that present readers may be familiar with was available in English publication or known in North America when Heiko began to paint icons. His “The Life of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos” takes its place in a prestigious line of contributions made by those rare, skilled workers in the vineyard of the Church, and gives future generations opportunities to begin within the canonical tradition when they set out to serve the Church through the painting of icons. This was an opportunity Heiko Schlieper did not have when he began his study of the tradition back in the 1960s.

 The process open to him was one of reconstruction.  Iconography was deeply fractured through a series of 
 events from the 17th through the 20th century.  In North America, the immigration process exacerbated these 
 fractures.  This work, as well as the forthcoming 'The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ', the second volume in the 
 series, provides a foundation for a new generation of iconographers at this important moment in the history of 
 the Orthodox Church.  Orthodox iconography has been given a canonical bench-mark with this work, the first 
 complete set of drawings of the life of the Theotokos.

All Saints of North America Monastery, Dewdney

Towards the end of his days, Heiko became almost completely blind as a consequence of macular degeneration. Regardless, he taught himself how to weave by touch.

In the afternoon of the Sunday of Orthodoxy, in Great Lent of 2008, David Goa brought Heiko out of the hospital to his apartment. In his familiar apartment were gathered his family and a dozen of his friends from Saint Herman’s Orthodox Church for a Lenten feast. His family, friends, and colleagues had gathered around him in Edmonton in particular to celebrate the publication of this work. At that time, Heiko was able to present each person with a copy of his “Life of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos”. Heiko was photographed during this celebration. It seems fitting that a few days later, following what he said “was the happiest day of his life”, he entered into eternal rest.

Heiko Schlieper, 2008, Edmonton

Towards the end of his days, Heiko Schlieper gave 2 of his icons to Saint Herman of Alaska's Sobor in Edmonton. These icons remain in the Temple to this day :

Holy Ascension of Christ Icon (left) ; Holy Dormition of the Theotokos Icon (right)

Repose, 2008

Heinrich (Heiko) Schlieper reposed in the Lord in Edmonton, Alberta, on 13 April, 2008.

On Wednesday, 16 April, 2008, at 8:00 p.m., a Panikhida (memorial service) was served at Saint Herman of Alaska’s Sobor in Edmonton, Alberta.

On Thursday, 17 April, 2008, at 10:00 a.m., the Funeral Service for the Burial of a Lay-person was served at Saint Herman of Alaska’s Sobor on 17 April. Archpriest Dennis Pihach led all the services, including the earlier, less public ones.

Heiko was survived by his wife Anne, sons Paul and Mark, daughter-in-law Anna, his grandsons Luke and Ryan, his nieces and nephews, and many friends in Edmonton, Ottawa, and Montréal.

Reflections

For those who might like to memorialise Heiko in a tangible way, contributions in his memory may be made to :

 H C Schlieper Museum 
 c/o All Saints of North America Monastery 
 Dewdney BC 
 V0M 1H0

Memory eternal !

Professor David J Goa commented in an article "A Meditation on Power", that

 I remembered my old friend of blessed memory, Heiko Schlieper, the marvellous historian and iconographer 
 who loved to repeat Lord Acton’s little formulation but repeat it with a difference. 
 'Power corrupts and impotence corrupts absolutely'.

Besides the monumental work in the murals of Saint George's Church in Edmonton, Alberta, the icons of Heiko Schlieper are found in private homes in various places in Canada, in various Orthodox Christian Temples, in museums and in private collections around the world. Some of his works were included in the exhibition of the Ottawa Museum of Civilisation (now known as "The Canadian Museum of History", "Under the Sign of the Cross". As one person said about him, "He was a historian before he became an iconographer, so he knew what each stroke meant".

Heiko Schlieper was a man of balance. A renowned Canadian iconographer, he was also a family man. Although he was ever creative, he was also ever convivial, hospitable and a good cook (as attested by his wife). Heiko was an unassuming man who never promoted or "marketed" himself. He was sincere, and honest.

Writings

“The Life of the Virgin Mary, Theotokos – volume 1 of the Schlieper Handbook of Orthodox Iconography” (Dewdney, BC : Synaxis Press, 2008)

“Seasons of Celebration : Ritual in Eastern Christian Culture”, eds. David Goa, Heiko Schlieper and Schidlovsky (Edmonton, AB : Provincial Museum of Alberta, Alberta Culture, 1986). ISBN 10 : 0919411444. ISBN 13 : 978-0919411449.

References

‘Foremost Canadian iconographer Reposes in Edmonton’ in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger” (Summer, 2008), p. 6.

Legacy Remembers obituary

Article : ‘A Lost Canadian Icon’ in the “Ottawa Citizen”

Montréal Gazette obituary

The obituary of Heiko Schlieper was published in “The Ottawa Citizen” on 15 April, 2008, p. 35 ; also in “The Edmonton Journal” on 16 April, 2008, p. 25.

Additional information :

Goa, Prof. D J : Curator of the Heiko Schlieper Icon Museum in in “Canadian Orthodox Messenger”, p. 3.

......, ‘The Orthodox Church’ in “Canadian Encyclopaedia”.

Government of Canada : “Artists in Canada” – Heiko Schlieper

Prokurat, Michael ; Petersen, Michael ; Golitzen, Alexander, ‘Icons’ in “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), pp. 163-168. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

Saint Herman of Alaska Orthodox Sobor, Edmonton, Alberta

Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Mission in Ottawa, Ontario

All Saints of North America Canadian Orthodox Monastery in Dewdney, British Columbia

Saint Nikolai of Zhitsa Orthodox Mission, Whitehorse, Yukon

Holy Apostles Orthodox Mission, Chilliwack, BC

Archdiocese of Canada web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada

Orthodox Church in America (OCA) web-site

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America

Metropolitan Ireney (Bekish)

Metropolitan Theodosius (Lazor)

Metropolitan Herman (Swaiko)