Fellowship of Isis History - Isian News

"The Lightening Flash of Isis" by Olivia Robertson

This painting is featured on the cover of Issue no. 119, Brigantia 2006 of the Isian News

Left: front page of first Isian News, Summer, 1976For many years the Isian News had a simple format and informal appearance which did not change. It featured the FOI hieroglyphic logo "Aset Shemsu" as a masthead. These hieroglyphs were researched by Lawrence Durdin-Robertson and drawn by Olivia Robertson, two of the Fellowship of Isis co-founders. An invocation and oracle were presented, followed by commentary and a listing of news and reports from FOI members.

Isian News 1996 - 2003

From 1996 through mid 2003, the Isian News was printed and distributed by Caroline Wise, AU and Karl Duncan, Priest of Sekhmet and Bride, on a volunteer basis in London, UK.

It was Caroline Wise who introduced the concept and format for the cover for the Isian News that is still in use today.

The new design included the hieroglyphic logo of the FOI as before, though now featured at the bottom of the page. At the top of the cover page, "Isian News" appeared in bold letters accompanied by a black eight pointed star, to represent the Star of Ishtar.

Beneath this heading, artwork was featured, at first this consisted of illustrations of cards from the Marseilles Tarot, corresponding to the rituals for the later published FOI liturgy book "Fortuna, Creation Through the Goddess." After this collection of rituals was finished, black and white illustrations created by FOI co-founder Olivia Robertson (who is a renowned artist) were presented on the cover of each issue, and reproduced in subsequent liturgy books.

During this same period issues began to be published on the cross quarters of the wheel of the year, with the name of the festival accompanying the issue number and year (Samhain, Brigantia, Beltane and Lughnasadh) instead of by the season (fall, winter, spring, summer).

Each Isian News contained a ritual drama and oracle, commentary and open letters from our beloved FOI co-founder Olivia Robertson along with reports from various FOI members, which Olivia personally selected from correspondence she received.

The importance of the function of the Isian News, particularly in the years before e-mail and the internet were introduced through home computers, cannot be under estimated. The Isian News made FOI members feel connected to each other and to the Foundation Centre Headquarters through Olivia’s works and members' correspondence featured in each issue.

Summer 2003

Lughnasad 2003 marked the first issue presented on the internet.The Isian News was presented online through the FOI HomePage starting with the Lughnasadh 2003 issue, through the Samhain 2008 issue.

Left: The first color cover of the Isian News. Issue no. 110, Samhain 2003

Issue no. 109 of the Isian News was available online in Adobe Reader pdf format, Adobe Reader 6.0 version. Anyone who was not able to access a free copy off the website via Adobe Reader 6.0, could order a printed copy for a nominal fee through snail mail via the FOI HomePage. Beginning with issue no. 120, Beltane 2006 through issue no. 130, Samhain 2008, issues of Isian News were offered online in both Adobe Reader 6.0 and html format.

The use of full color covers for Isian News was introduced by the FOI HomePage beginning with the cover art for Isian News issue no. 110, Samhain, 2003. The FOI HomePage produced Isian News for five years. The last presentation of Isian News via the FOI HomePage was issue no. 130, Samhain 2008.

Letter from Olivia Robertson, December 2008

Brigantia, 2009 - Present

On December 1st, 2008, Linda Iles, the Honorary Secretary of the Circle of Isis Advisory Board was contacted by FOI co-founder Olivia Robertson. She requested Fellowship of Isis Central (the site hosted by the Circle of Isis) publish Isian News along with the various duties already taken on as Central Fellowship of Isis Website for the world wide FOI community.

Isian News has been produced through the Fellowship of Isis Central website since the Brigantia 2009 issue.

Beginning with Brigantia issue no. 147, Isian News is announced on a blog http://www.isiannews.blogspot.com/

You may contact the Fellowship of Isis Central if you need further information at isiscircleonline@yahoo.com

Open Letters from Olivia featured in Isian News issues 83 - 110

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