Icons are Prayed Not Painted | Garret Hines | Episode #247

The BeatiDudes welcome Garret Hines, artist, teacher, and iconographer, for a colorful conversation that flows from camping trips and Make-A-Wish moments to the painstaking beauty of egg tempera icons.

Garret shares his journey from creative burnout to spiritual renewal through sacred art. He explains the prayerful process behind "writing" an icon, why traditional techniques still matter, and how each commissioned piece becomes a custom prayer for its recipient.

Of course, it wouldn’t be The BeatiDudes without Paul Kolker, Nick Bezner, and Jeff Schiefelbein detouring into Frodo jokes, Dr Pepper ice cream tastings, and Thor references. You’ll hear about the 24-karat gold halos, the theology embedded in brushstrokes, and the joy of seeing beauty draw people deeper into faith.

If you’ve ever wondered why icons are called “written” instead of “painted,” or what happens when you mix a prayer with egg yolk and ground stone, this episode will pull back the curtain, or rather, open the window into heaven.

Highlights:

• July catch-up: RV camping, Rome adventures, Make-A-Wish magic, and bobblehead promo videos

• Garrett’s journey: from watercolor experiments to Eastern-style iconography

• Why each icon is a prayer in pigment, not just an image

• How art can help the faithful “see” scripture and the beauty of the faith