Keeping The Sacred Images Project alive: why your support matters

A message for free subscribers - with videos!

The cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Torcello, the oldest church in the Venetian Lagoon, and one of the oldest in Europe. Built in the 7th century, its mosaic of the Theotokos Hodegetria was a copy of the original painting - now lost - by St. Luke the Evangelist, in Constantinople.

I just wrapped up the San Vitale post, and my brain’s kind of melting, but honestly, it’s really good. It’s packed with video, photos, and deep dives into the details you won’t find in guidebooks. But here’s something I hadn’t quite realised until today: the six hours I spent writing and editing it today? That was just the final stage.

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I thought it would be fun to add some of the videos that have until now been only available to paid subscribers:

A tiring but wonderful day: Sunday afternoon on Torcello island in the Venice Lagoon

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Between San Vitale today and last week’s post about the mosaics of Torcello, it wasn’t just hours of writing and editing, text, video and photos - that’s just a working day. It was a trip up north from Saturday to Monday; 12 hours of driving, two nights in a Venice hotel, stomping all over Venice in the cold wind, six ferry rides, entry tickets and meals, for a total of about €750 in expenses.

And to prepare for all that, I did “double-shifts” to prepare posts to automatically publish while I was away from my computer so we wouldn’t miss any deadlines.

A walk around the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the mother of an emperor

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And that’s not counting the week recovering from the sheer exhaustion afterward, thanks to the chronic health stuff (post-chemo, etc) that makes trips like this really tough. I was quite disappointed that we had to cut Ravenna short; we wanted to get to Sant’Appollinare in Classe, but I was just not physically capable of more.

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Substack isn’t great about providing really detailed stats, but I’ve been watching the top number shrink and then dive into the negatives for the last few weeks, and it’s pretty disheartening.

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Here’s where it gets hard to say: instead of an increase, despite all the work, there’s been a drop in paid subscriptions recently. A handful of new subscribers have come in (thank you, seriously), but a wave of unsubscribes means I’m actually down five. It’s hard not to feel disheartened when I’m pushing my body to its limits to create something rich and worthwhile, only to see support slipping away.

The chart for all subscribers, including followers of the Project’s feed on the Substack home page, is really encouraging though. It’s clear there’s ongoing interest in the work we’re doing.

But I need to pause here and say something important: to those of you who have subscribed and stuck with it - thank you. Honestly and sincerely. Substack lets me see viewing histories, and it’s incredibly encouraging to notice how many “opened” and “seen” markers are next to some of your names.

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It’s easy in this line of work to feel like you’re talking to an empty room; it requires long stretches of solitary, focused effort. But seeing how many of you regularly read, interact, and comment makes a massive difference. I love talking to people and when you comment and leave me messages asking questions or sharing information, it really makes my day. I love hearing from people who want to know more about iconography, or are trying to figure out how to fit icons into their spiritual lives as Latin Catholics, or who want resources to teach their kids basic drawing skills. What it means to me is that people are really letting my work get to be a part of their lives.

It might sound like a typical “content marketing” line, but it’s not. I literally wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t for those of you who subscribe, read, and come along for the journey.

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Here’s what we’ve done this past month for paid subscribers in addition to the free material:

Ravenna is one of those places that once you’ve seen it, all you want to do is go see it again.

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• The brand-new San Vitale post, packed with original video, close-up images, and in-depth context.

• A deep dive into the stunning mosaics of Torcello, with exclusive photos and analysis.

• A visit to the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, the memorial of an empress.

• A study of the original Constantinian basilicas in Rome and the House Churches of the 3rd century.

• Started looking at Italo-Byzantine, and the earliest days of western sacred art forms

• An exploration of how depictions of Christ evolved in the early centuries.

• A deep dive into the incredible finds of the Sutton Hoo Anglo-Saxon treasures and the art of the Western European “Dark Ages.”

• A detailed look at the meaning and symbolism of Andrei Rublev’s famous Trinity icon.

• Exclusive videos and photos from my trips, giving a first-hand look at the process.

• Rich historical commentary that digs deeper than the usual guidebook narratives, an analysis from the unique perspective of an experienced journalist who is also dedicated to studying and making sacred art.

All of this was created and has grown with the generous support of paid subscribers, and I want to keep pushing forward, bringing more of this rare, detailed material straight to you.

This evening, I started drafting the first end-of-quarter eBook that I plan to make available to paid subscribers for free (and for sale to free subscribers) as a PDF download. It will summarise everything we’ve talked about, include pull-out sections, timelines, photos, and maps, and be ideal for homeschoolers. I’ve spoken with people who encouraged me to start providing more solid material than short blog posts, and I really want to do this, and more.

But here’s the hard part: starting work on this eBook made me realise that, on the one hand, I’m working harder than ever before and planning to pile even more onto the plate. But the subscription growth just isn’t there to support it. And I started wondering if all I have planned and hope for is really sustainable or possible.

Going Deeper: the real meaning behind the art

One thing I try to do with the paid posts is go beyond just art history. With sacred art, it’s not really about the art itself, it’s about the spirituality, the meaning behind it all. You can imagine I’ve been reading a lot of art history lately, and I’ve noticed that secular academic sources often shy away from exploring that deeper meaning. And even worse, there’s increasingly an ideological “woke” slant being deliberately inserted into the mainstream material, that I believe is directly counter to the real meaning of these works.

On the flip side, many Orthodox sources discussing iconography dive into highly specialised theological language that can be difficult for Latin Rite Christians to navigate.

I know that many Christians are deeply interested in this, but they don’t always have the time or the background to wade through dense academic or theological texts. That’s where I see the core value of this work: connecting the art to the Faith. My goal is to bridge that gap, offering deep dives that respect both the artistic tradition and the spiritual truths it was created to express, but in a way that’s clear, accessible, and engaging.

Looking Ahead: building something bigger together

A work in progress. I’m teaching myself website development as I go along. I wish there were three of me, but then I’d probably have to pay the other me’s a salary…

Part of what I’m working toward is growing the project into something more than just a blog and a series of posts. I want it to become a hub for serious resources - educational materials, digital courses, exhibitions, and community events - both online and in real life. The goal is to create a space that supports deeper engagement with Christian sacred art, history, and culture.

There’s more going on behind the scenes than I can talk about right now, but if things go well, there will be a big Thing to announce, that will make a lot of changes, for the better and make possible things that aren’t right now.

In the end, I’m aiming to expand into the real world, with in-person lectures, seminars, and even classes. I’m already recruiting volunteer help in technical areas, like social media promotion and coaching on how to edit videos. And I’ve found someone who specialises in eBook and course formatting, who I’ll be hiring to produce polished educational materials like printable timelines and homeschool resources.

Annual subscriptions help make that possible¹. They provide the kind of stability that makes long-term planning viable, allowing me to take bigger steps toward these goals, invest more in educational projects, and offer more to subscribers in return.

If you believe in this bigger vision, and want to be a part of it, I hope you’ll consider subscribing for the full year.

It’s the most helpful way to sustain this work, and you’ll be directly contributing to the growth of the Association and everything we hope to build.

I’m still confident about it all

“All” subscription category has seen steady growth in the last few months. Paid, not so much.

The free subscriber list has been growing rapidly, about ten new readers every day, which is incredible.

It shows that there’s real interest in this project, and I’m grateful for everyone who’s joined the journey. But the reality is, while free subscriptions help the community grow, it’s the paid subscribers who make it possible to keep creating these deep dives, the travel-based research, and all the extra material.

Right now, there are 270 paid subscribers - the real count, after factoring out comps, gifts, and free trials - even though Substack lists 289. Meanwhile, total subscribers have hit 5,360, and when including all follows on the Substack home page, that number rises to 6,759. That’s a fantastic reach, but without enough paid support, the project risks hitting a wall.

If you’ve been enjoying the free material, please consider joining us in this project and becoming a paid subscriber. It’s not just about the cost of trips or gear, it’s about valuing the time, effort, and energy it takes to bring all of this to life.

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I love this work, I want to keep doing it and doing more things. But I can’t do it alone. Your support isn’t just appreciated; it’s what keeps this whole idea going.

Thank you.

HJMW

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A few more bonus videos from the last year:

(These aren’t edited, so might be a bit jiggly; they’re just out of the files, and some of them haven’t been posted anywhere yet.)

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Orvieto

The great Gothic Duomo of Orvieto, February last year.

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Subiaco

The frescoes of the Benedictine monastery of Subiaco.

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Siena

The Piccolomini library, at the Duomo of Siena. Frescos are by Pinturicchio.

The Baptistery of the Duomo of Siena.

The Maesta, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Siena.

1. If you would like to have an annual subscription, but can’t afford it all in one chunk, please don’t hesitate to talk to me about it. We can work something out.