"Judecata" stramba/ The crooked "Doomsday"

Prima mea icoana de dimensiuni mari a fost o "Judecata" pe un lemn stramb. Am pus mult suflet in alcatuirea ei, mai ales ca nu aveam pe-atunci "Erminia" lui Dionisie din Furna. Asa ca am luat Apocalipsa la puricat si am schitat pe-un teanc de hartii tot felul de scene. Cand am terminat-o, am simtit o reala satisfactie! Chiar si-acum, la "Judecatile" pe care le mai fac, tot dupa schita asteia vechi ma ghidez. Am dus-o la un targ si am vandut-o unor americani cu 6 milioane, pe vremea aia! Pentru mine, a fost primul succes artistic. Nu mai stiu ce s-a ales de banii aia...probabil ca praful, cum se alege de mai toti banii de pe lumea asta zadarnica :))! Oricum, am ramas cu fericirea si multumirea reusitei, Multumescu-Ti Tie, Doamne!

My first large icon was a "Doomsday", on a crooked wood. It took a lot of effort, especially that, at the time, I didn't have the "Manual of iconography" by Dionysius of Fourna. So I had to thoroughly study "The book of Revelation" and do sketches. When I finally finished it, I felt a real satisfaction! Even now, when I do other "Doomsdays", I use the old sketches. I took the icon to a fair and sold it to a couple of Americans for 6million lei, at the time! For me, it was the first artistic success. I can't even remember what had become of the money...probably scattered like ashes, as money tend to do :))! Anyways, praise the Lord, I won the happiness and content of doing well!