An Artist in Jerusalem

Propagate - IF

2010-02-25T06:14:00.000-08:00

It sometimes takes one horrible incident to make you study yourself really close-up in the mirror and want to change. It`s a painful thing to realize that you are not the person you thought you were. Not to say that we consider ourselves perfect, but to truly observe our flaws from an objective point of view is not something we do as often as observing the flaws of others. So, the other day I decided that I needed an overdose of positive energy.

I`m not talking big, life-altering changes. I`m talking about making more of an effort to judge others favourably, to smile at my neighbours (we live in a type of apartment building where you wouldn`t even know your neighbours if you ran into them), and just letting go of small things that would normally make my blood boil. A lot, a lot, of letting go.

And you know what? It becomes easier after that first effort. And when I personally feel better because of someone else`s positive remark, a bright smile, or a 20-minute phone conversation with an old friend, it only reinforces the importance of passing it on to others.

Castles in the Sky

2010-01-25T06:42:00.000-08:00

As I described in my post Thoughts on Falsehood, I spent a great deal of my teen years and early adulthood dreaming about glorious, far-off destinations involving art, culture, and great cities. Coupled with various outings with friends that gave me a natural kind of "high", I think it safe to describe those as my earliest quasi-spiritual experiences, following the monumental wonders of childhood.

That feeling didn`t last long. As I got older, something began to change. I began to change. But I still kept looking in the same places, thinking I would find it again.

Similarly, my early travels to Europe had felt somewhat mystical. I walked around as if in a dream. But the last time I visited Europe, I was no longer the same person - I had more knowledge and more baggage. Throughout my years in New York, following the pace of The Next Big Thing, I felt like a cocaine addict waiting for his next fix. But nothing provided ongoing contentment.

I am a long way from where I was a few years ago. Not to say that I have achieved a constant Zen-like peace of mind, but the road that I have chosen is clearer, and I am no longer lost. I`m also a stay-at-home mom. When my baby looks up at me and smiles, I experience a joy that takes me back to the way I felt as a teenager, when emotions were fresh and undiluted. It is hard to put into words, but this feeling is different, and significant, and ever-lasting. I look at my baby and all those castles I built in the sky are suddenly real again, and close to earth. I know that I am where I am meant to be.

A Taste of Wealth

2010-01-24T07:52:00.000-08:00

We were fortunate enough to have spent this past weekend in our golden Jerusalem, in the most spectacular winter weather - blue skies, crisp air, and sunshine that warmed our hides enough to remove our heavy winter coats. We were equally fortunate to spend it in one of the most prestigious hotels in Jerusalem. This is a hotel of which most people like me will only ever visit the lobby on a date. The entire place closes to the public when dignified international heads of state visit. It boasts a fabulous Monday night sushi buffet which I think runs around $40-$50 per person (I don`t know about you, but I could never eat that much sushi!)

So anyway, at the expense of a very generous family friend of my husband`s, we stayed in this hotel over the weekend to celebrate his son`s bar mitzvah, and rubbed shoulders with a lot of very wealthy people. The setting was fabulous, the food amazing, and the rooms exciting (the only way to describe my reaction to the beautiful marble bathroom with the huge tub and little l'Occitane soaps, bathrobes, slippers and, best of all, no need to turn on the boiler!) I wore my best jewelry to fit in with the elegant hotel guests, feeling quite happy to have a taste of the fine life.

Over the course of the Sabbath, however, I developed a "so-what" attitude to the goings-on around me. In the dining area, spoiled teenagers were ordering 18-shekel bottles of soda and a variety of foods without hesitation. Well-groomed, finely-dressed women strutted about, looking no happier than anyone with a fraction of what they have. And truthfully, I got the impression that the wealthier you are, the more everyone tries to milk you. You`d think that for the price of an expensive hotel room you would get tea and coffee in the room, or that the dining menu would be subsidized. But no, the more you have in your wallet, the higher your spendings - if you live like a rich person. I met people who apparently were worth millions but lived ordinary lives and worked hard to get through college, get a job, etc. Like the rest of us common folk.

At the close of our fine weekend, we still felt privileged to have bedded only a short walk away from the Old City, and to have partook of a great Sabbath with wonderful company. But both my husband and I decided that, despite it all, it wasn`t worth the price. Granted, people will treat you like the gold you are worth, but at that exact cost. And it hasn`t changed our vision of one day returning to live in Jerusalem among its common people, steeped so much in the wealth of Torah that their faith is the stuff of which money cannot buy.

I Know He Plays in Heaven

2010-01-13T01:06:00.000-08:00

Our book has been released! In this children`s book, a young child imagines his deceased grandfather playing with him. He envisions his grandpa chasing the balloon that flies into the sky, popping the bubbles that float away, and jumping as high as the moon on his trampoline in heaven. The book helps young people see that their loved ones live on, side by side with us here on earth.

10% of the proceeds will be donated to various charities.

I nurtured this book while nurturing my unborn baby, so it is kind`ve also my "baby".

Here are some samples from the book. It is available on Amazon (in paperback) - to order, click here. It will also be available in hardcover soon. Follow my blog to be updated!

Thoughts on Falsehood

2010-01-03T04:39:00.000-08:00

In the weeks and months before giving birth, I tried to cram in as much reading and thinking time as possible, naturally assuming that I would have no time once my firstborn arrived. As it turns out, I now have even more of an excuse to read and stare into space than ever before - breastfeeding, once past the tricky beginning phase, presents many pleasant, guilt-free opportunities to read novels and magazines cover-to-cover, and just reflect on life in general (when not staring at the wonder that baby is!)

One such epiphany that I had, while baby and I were listening to a French children`s song, has to do with the way I view the French culture, and in fact, every so-called romantic culture out there. As an imaginative teenager growing up in South Africa, I often fantasized about far-away places, and in particular the greatest art centers of the Western world: Italy, France, England and Spain. For years I dreamed about packing all my belongings into a small backpack and disappearing into the cities of Europe for a few months. And there was something about Paris that always painted a glorious image in my mind, of artists and writers sipping cappuccinos in beautiful outdoor cafes on tree-lined boulevards, somewhere deep in the heart of Paris. I harboured this fantasy until I actually visited Paris three years ago. It rained for most of the three days that I was there. Maybe it was the weather, or the fact that I was jetlagged and exhausted, or maybe just lonely, but somehow Paris was not as grand as I`d imagined. The first part of Paris I set my eyes on was an eyesore, the metro filled with the sort of people whom I wouldn`t want to run into in a dark alley. The Louvre, while impressive, was full of tourists snapping photos of every precious masterpiece (in New York they would have been thrown out for doing so) and there were more people surrounding the Mona Lisa than paparazzi around Angelina Jolie. Even Notre Dame Cathedral was not as imposing as I`d imagined.
On my last day, under a miserable sky, I roamed about the streets of Paris in search of something to do. I was wet and cold, and wanted only to go sit someplace warm, and not the typical French cafe where the waiters would bother me every few minutes . Finally, I ran into a Starbucks, a long, long way from home (which, back then, was New York). As I sipped my hot drink out of a paper cup, it occurred to me that I was making a mockery of myself - visiting an American coffee-chain in Paris! The irony! And all for the sake of something warm and familiar. To confuse you even more, the only reason I ever patronized Starbucks in New York was because the atmosphere reminded me of Europe!

But never mind my own experience - the image of France as a paragon of the peaceful life I imagined is far from the truth. Persecution and anti-semitism have tainted England, France, Italy and Spain for hundreds of years, and continue to this day. In Paris, Jews are afraid to venture anywhere with a visible skullcap on their heads. This is not a paranoia - I rest my case with Ilan Halimi, although there is much more to say on the matter. But it isn`t my purpose to make this entry political. My point is that despite all of the above, I still feel wistful every time I hear a French song, or watch a movie like Amelie. What is it about these false pre-conceived notions we Westerners have of places? It`s like willingly choosing to bury our heads in a fantasy. That is why the world adores the rock star, the movie star, and the super model - all of whom we have only known wearing masks, acting out that which isn`t real. We listen to popular old French songs by Edith Piaf and imagine a rosy night cafe scene, when the singer`s life and character were far from rosy.

All this makes me appreciate living in Israel, where somehow people are more down to earth, be it because of the merit of living in the Holy Land, the constant threat of war, or all the social issues of living in a fairly new state. So, if I still find myself longing for baseless things, at least I can acknowledge the fact.

New Arrival

2009-11-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

For the first time, I am sitting and typing this post with a sleeping, two-week-old baby strapped to my front. My father-in-law was gazing at him yesterday and announced, "This is art." And I couldn`t agree more. This is the biggest masterpiece of my life. And an ongoing work-in-progress. Welcome to the world, little light.

Waddling to the Wall

2009-11-03T02:21:00.000-08:00

Two nights ago my husband and I had the privilege of once again being in Jerusalem, if only for a short time. We`d been meaning to go for ages to pray at the Kotel, the Western Wall, before the baby comes. We had rented a car to attend a wedding, and while we were there, decided to go down to the Old City while we had the chance.
Already I can feel the memory crystallizing into one of those snow-globe memories that will always seem perfect no matter what. This journey towards the Kotel which we had made dozens of times in the past now seemed different, more sanctified and treasured. We strolled through the glamorous, open-air Mamilla Mall in the chilly night air, noting with pride the new additions since we had last been there. New restaurants and shops filled the dark gaps we remembered. People were huddled in the warm, enclosed cafes. After this endless summer, I welcomed the winter in my heart.
On we walked from golden glamour through the golden gates of the Old City, down past the Armenian Quarter into the narrow alleys of the Jewish Quarter. It started to drizzle and my husband and I held on to each other as we walked down the slippery Jerusalem stone yellow-brick-road. This normally irksome ordeal of being stuck out in the cold Jerusalem rain did not deter us. The Old City seemed eerily empty, somehow adding more allure to our quest. And then we were finally there. No tourists, no beggars, no lines.... Just us (and a few brave others) and the Wall. The great journey and the even greater destination. How grand it was to stand again in the place I had envisioned in my prayers all these long months...

Brooding on a Sunny Day...

2009-10-26T04:33:00.000-07:00

I`ve complained about this in just about every other way by now (including Facebook) so I figured I should do so on my blog, as well... the summer is just not going away and I have a big fat bone to pick with it!!

I am not someone who dislikes the summer. I like it, in fact under normal circumstances I love it, but this year it has only made venturing outside of my home for even five minutes an ordeal. Every miniscule step outside means returning home only to peel off your one layer of clothing as though it were a fur coat. By this time it is officially way into fall in both Israel and New York (my previous "home-country") and getting hot as hell as summer approaches South Africa (my pre-previous "home-country".) The thing is, it has already snowed in New York, and air conditioning has been abolished months ago and replaced by soft couch throws in "every colour imaginable" (which my generous sister insists on getting for us.) Even the fall by now is so last year, as New Yorkers test out their new snow tires and dig out their heavy coats. So, how is it that I am still sitting here in my apartment in Israel, in the double-heat of Nine Months and The Summer That Just Won`t Quit??

Months ago, I bought my baby`s first outfit for when we leave the hospital - a tiny little flannel ensemble - to be accompanied by a snuggly-soft, cocoon-like blanket called a BundleMe (again, from my generous sis abroad), and a fleece hat. For me, I got fluffy slippers and a warm hospital gown. But now, I`m wondering if I should pack myself a T-Shirt instead, and one of the baby`s surf-up onesies (again, from my wonderful sis)...?

It makes me laugh at myself, this whole issue. The whole of last winter, in our tiny Jerusalem basement apartment, we kvetched and kvetched about the lack of heating, the insufficiency of our one radiator, the lack of hot water due to a faulty boiler (and a faulty landlord), and the fact that it was warmer outdoors than inside! But now, the humid climate of Petah Tikva has us (read, me) complaining once again. When we first moved here seven months ago, I couldn`t get over the brightness of the apartment, the warmth we had longed for in Jerusalem. It just goes to show, that too much of a good thing can make us.... well, a little ungrateful. I don`t mean to sound ungrateful. Maybe these are just the musings of a very pregnant lady with nothing better (meaning, worse) to do than kvetch about stupid things. Which is a blessing, and something to be ever so grateful for on this sunny day....

Fast - IF

2009-10-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

For this week`s topic of "Fast", I`ve picked one of my illustrations from the book I am collaborating on, "I Know He Plays in Heaven." I`m so excited because the actual illustrations are all done and I FINALLY found a print shop somewhere in Tel Aviv with a scanner larger than the standard A4 size and scanned everything, and now all that`s left are the final touch-ups and adding the text before uploading them to a self-publishing site.... Amazing what one can accomplish when there`s a deadline looming ahead (in this case, BABY!) and I feel a lot calmer now and ready to take it easy before the little one comes along...

So not only is our little boy character sprinting FAST over the grass in his attempts to take off to the heavens, but getting him out there has been one FAST and furious process!

Keep reading here for more information on the book and for more previews. I appreciate all comments!

IF - Germ

2009-10-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

Germ: the initial stage in development or evolution, as a germ cell or ancestral form (dictionary.com)

The Jewish High Holidays have come and gone, ushering in the Jewish New Year, and with it, the good and the (apparently) bad... Several births and, unfortunately, quite a few deaths. Jewish tradition holds that everything in the coming year is determined during the High Holy Days, and it is frightening to imagine that everything that has happened within the past week - the miraculous births, and the shocking and sudden passings - was determined only two weeks ago... Our very consciousness for the past month has been enveloped by preparations for the beginning of the year, known to set the stage, to build the foundation, to germinate the "genes" of the coming year.
At the same time, birth has very much been on my mind for, oh, the past eight months, so this is a topic I am very much living all day, every day... May this year bring about only a bountiful goodness, and may we be blessed with the strength to deal with anything else that comes along.

IF - Infinite

2009-09-22T07:42:00.000-07:00

"In our garden, the flowers bloom brightly from the ground. I pick a rose for my mommy. My best friend picks a lilac for her mommy."

"When I wake up in the morning, the carnations are gone. Grandpa must have picked those for his mommy, who is also in heaven."

These illustrations are from a book I am illustrating called (tentatively) "I Know He Plays in Heaven" by Renee Kosiarek, about a boy who fantasizes about his grandpa`s adventures in heaven, and how he interacts with him still, imagining his actions reflecting his own on earth. I picked these pages for the subject of "infinite," as the second page fades away into the unknown, denoting the idea of the afterlife as a continuation of life.

We are hoping to have the book out by November and it will be self-published and available on Amazon. Anyone interested can keep checking my blog for updates. (I will try to keep posting more excerpts.)
I`d appreciate all comments, from artist and non-artist alike!

IF - Welcome

2009-09-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

This is a personal project I started a while ago... and only got back to now. Since I am looking to get into children`s books, but didn`t have much to show in that area besides for textbook illustration, I decided to do a series of illustrations based on the fairytale, "The Old Woman and the Wood". This is a fairytale I watched as a child (anyone remember the retro "Grimm Brothers Fairytales" series?)
In this scene, the damsel in distress is welcomed to sleep in a tree unlocked by her true-love-in-disguise, a white dove. I am looking forward to working on a few more scenes... when I have the time!

You`re only as strong as your faith...

2009-09-10T04:27:00.000-07:00

I don`t mean to sound pessimistic every time I speak about life in Israel, but the truth is that I find frustration to be a great motivator to draw, so you`re more likely to see a drawing or painting having to do with something initially negative, because that`s what gives me the push in the first place, and I try to make something positive out of it.

So here it is...

I am confounded by the "eat-your-heart-out" policy every institution in Israel seems to hold. If all goes well with your health insurance, it`s a dream. Not having to pay high insurance fees as they do in the States is definitely a plus to living in Israel. But if you are somehow misinformed, or don`t look into something closely enough (easily done when there`s a language barrier), there is practically no one to appeal to, no one to take responsibility and provide you with "the customer is always right" approach... no, it`s almost as if they stick out their tongues at you and say, "Sucker, how did you think we make money in the first place?" Sadly, I think it`s mostly us immigrants that get stuck being the sucker time and time again, until eventually we grow really hard hides and become bitter and whiny, pining for America as if it`s these small, stupid things like health insurance that really determine the quality of our lives. Israelis already know the ropes (I think).

On the other hand, Israel gives you a great opportunity to work on your Emuna - your faith. We were once almost charged for damage on a rental car that we most definitely had nothing to do with, but even in a situation where you know you have nothing to fear because it really isn`t your fault, you worry. Because you know that here, they can do whatever they want. We could have been mercilessly charged with no one to plead with. In cases like these, I`ve been jolted back to an awareness that there is really no one that can help me out of this.... except G-d. You realize, in a daze, that there is no one else to turn to. So I talk to Him, cry to Him, remembering that He alone runs the show (and not the people at Budget rental).

Pregnancy is another great reminder that absolutely nothing is in your control. You can eat right, sleep right, take all the right vitamins and all the right precautions... but the results are not determined by you, your doctor, or your midwife. You are made aware of that every time you experience a scare. For someone like me, who likes to feel in control, it`s a great wake-up call, and a great if not challenging way of living every day based on faith alone....

IF - Impatience

2009-08-13T05:57:00.001-07:00

Recently I`ve felt like things would never move ahead. So many pregnancy-and health-related issues, including general fatigue, have kept me at a low performance level, just when so many new and exciting things are happening. There`s nothing more depressing than having plenty of free time and no energy to do anything, especially for people like myself who view productivity as a raison d`etre. But atleast it has proven to me just how little control we have over what happens in our lives - this is something that we don`t always realize until we are physically out-of-whack, and something we should not take for granted for a single moment!
Thankfully, my energy is back and so is my spirit. I feel better than ever and enjoying my vibrating belly with refreshingly brand-new enthusiasm. Small blessings all around - my internet was down yesterday, which gave me a chance to stop distracting myself and get practical again - to which I owe the fact that I stopped pushing off this week`s illustration, and voila!

A Painting for Our Living Room!

2009-07-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots of my new painting in progress.... The theme is based on King David`s psalm: "A Song of Ascents, when G-d returns to Zion, we will have been like dreamers..."
This psalm is very meaningful to the Jewish people, as it speaks of the time of redemption, when all our worries and woes until now will appear to have been but a dream...
I refer to Jerusalem as a "city on fire," a spiritual nucleus baking in turmoil and intensity. My husband and I loved living there, but we did recognize it as a city of high tension, which makes it both special and difficult. "Change of place, change of luck" is a favourite Israeli saying, and we have to agree. There is a blessing in everything - we love our new, little green haven that is Petach Tikva (pictured in bottom-left of painting). Many more symbols to dwell on, but not until there is more progress.
Hope my colour pallette stays bright!

Fashion Illustration on Ana and Ava

2009-07-19T06:28:00.001-07:00

Ana and Ava`s website is finally up, and my fashion illustration is up there with it! This is not something I normally do, but it was fun regardless. (The headbands and hats are amazing and have been featured in the NY Post and other places.)
Check it out!

On Working from Home...

2009-07-15T03:39:00.000-07:00

It`s difficult. When you are the master of your time it can be extremely difficult to manage wisely. Lately I`ve been thinking of getting a part-time office job, just to force myself to get out and have a more set schedule. Nonetheless, I am enjoying this time and trying to make the best of it. The apartments in Petach Tikva boast large windows so I have a fantastic view of everything around me, including other people`s apartments!
Am getting started on a ginormous canvas I plan on hanging in our living room... Will post pics of the work in progress.
Back to work!

Oh-so distracted...

2009-07-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

I`m annoyed. I`ve been trying to be creative in more ways than one and not succeeding in any of them!
We`re having guests this weekend and I`ve been cooking an assortment of things while also trying to focus on some painting. Annoyingly, my Bundt cake flopped. (And I especially bought the pan and followed the recipe to the T!) I seemingly cannot seem to succeed in anything creative both in and out of the kitchen lately! Oy...
I have been reading a few very uplifting blogs lately which have inspired me to go back to the drawing board and create a few new portfolio pieces targeting the children`s market. One is by illustrator Stephanie Ruble. There`s also a forum I found helpful. Anyway, all these things have inspired me to do more sketching to help me get over this "illustrator`s block" (or "boulder", more like.) So here is a cartoon of me feeling frustrated because I have so much time to do whatever it is I need to do, and I still can`t focus on any one thing at a time, so I`m constantly thinking of other things I need to do while doing the things I need to do! (Now I`m cross-eyed...) One of the suggestions in the above-mentioned blog is to illustrate a fairy tale if you`re out of ideas, so here is my princess, all pregnant like me, illustrating, at the very least, that I really can`t put some things out of my mind...

IF - Shaky

2009-07-06T07:34:00.000-07:00

Somewhat appropriate that this week`s topic for Illustration Friday is "Shaky". That`s how I`m feeling today - whatever achievements I`ve made in my artistic career, it still seems that all the effort has amounted to little, and that I`m perched shakily on a tiny foundation, and growing heavier with my dreams, ambitions and potential. I`m sure that everyone goes through this, and luckily I have my loved ones to fall back on for support if I should fall, but it can still be disheartening.

Inner Content

2009-07-02T02:48:00.000-07:00

Joined Etsy and getting in touch with my inner world...

IF - Adapt

2009-06-02T04:20:00.000-07:00

This week`s topic relates to me in more ways than one. My husband and I have had to leave our beloved Jerusalem so he can be closer to work. So we are now living in central Israel, in a city called Petach Tikva. We are lucky enough to claim that we have so far adapted pretty well to our new dwelling, appreciating the space and sunlight that isn`t as common in Jerusalem. Our hearts remain in Jerusalem, but we are happy enough with our situation.
In the bigger picture, though, I have reflected on my adaptation to life in Israel since I got here, almost three years ago. I have realized that I am just as much an "outsider" at mind than I was three years ago. Don`t get me wrong - my Hebrew has improved and I understand the mentality enough to get things done. I can pretty much pass off as pure Israeli. But I am still very much not, and not sure I even want to be. I am still stubbornly comparing the system here to the system in America - the post office, the bank, people`s attitudes, customer service (or lack thereof)...
To me it`s just a matter of adapting yourself as best as you can, while still retaining the parts of yourself that were formed in other places. Maybe it`s better to be more sensitive (sometimes).

Woo hoo!

2009-03-01T03:48:00.000-08:00

I`m very happy to say that I`ve had a better illustration month than ever before. It seems that if you really want something bad enough, it`s only a matter of time before you`ll get it. I feel more involved than ever before. Despite the bad economy, it seems that art and illustration are still thriving (as far as I know).
I know I could give in and become a teacher to appease my family in Israel, but for now I`m choosing to continue on this path and see where it can get me, before I settle on anything else.

"Time" - IF

2009-02-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is a painting I did a few months ago based on the layers of time. Each layer is significant to a different period of my life, beginning with childhood and culminating in the present top layer, the haven that is Jerusalem.

Though I Walk...

2009-02-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

I`ve been working on paintings based on Psalms and the Song of Songs, and here are some examples I wanted to share.... These paintings, I feel, are my breakthrough in Israel, because I was finally able to express myself more conceptually through them. I have enjoyed working in this style and hope to keep it up and develop it more.

"Flawed" - IF

2009-02-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

This week`s topic came at a good time.... This past week has been a chance for some painfully serious introspection, like having to look at myself really close-up in the mirror.
In my illustration, the sleeping figure is obviously lacking and colourless, while the approaching (and reproaching) figures represent certain character traits such as virtue, humility, ingenuity, joy and ambition. I had fun with this.

"Pale" - IF

2009-01-22T09:13:00.000-08:00

This week I was inspired by the concept of one`s aggression being the source of their own vulnerability and weakness, or vice versa. This image is of Medusa as both threatening and weak, weighed down by her extreme aggression. It is the vicious cycle of one who cannot control or balance one`s emotions, turning them into a self-inflicting tool of despair.
I wish I could have worked more on this. It was sketched out in oil on board.

"Contained"-IF

2009-01-15T07:48:00.000-08:00

Right now the world is so focused on the unfortunate plight of the Gazan civilians, that little is left to consider the fact that Israel has been under constant attack by both Hamas and Hezbollah for the past 8 years, during which thousands of lives have been altered, hundreds have been murdered in cold blood, and attacks have continued to this very day on cities like Sderot, Ashdod, Ashklelon, and recently Beer Sheva (where the large majority of my family lives) and the North.
Therefore, the topic of "contained" struck me in more ways than one - Israel itself is a country contained within a sea of hostile powers surrounding it on all sides. Here in Jerusalem, we too are contained by the attacks that have now reached Beer Sheva and the North, and almost feel as if there is nowhere to venture beyond our city. Don`t get me wrong, I`m not complaining - it`s starting to look like the Center is the safest place to be in Israel these days. And in Israel things go on as normal. But we are all hoping and praying for better days.

Jerusalem Under Construction

2009-01-13T12:57:00.001-08:00

The ongoing construction of the train line on Yafo Street was a location we never chose before... I`ve always loved the beautiful old buildings interspersed with the new...

Married in Jerusalem

2008-12-22T05:56:00.000-08:00

It`s been almost a month since the wedding and, strangely, I still feel a great need to relax. Unfortunately, the only art I`ve been involved in is illustrating the thank-you card, and finishing up my gift to our "matchmaker," a Russian doll painted in the theme of "A Woman of Valour".
Much light filters into our tiny apartment, despite the small windows....
I have started to concentrate my artistic efforts on my home and in my kitchen; Hopefully this is an art that can be picked up by anyone willing to learn!
I realize, though, that I am not only organizing our many things into this little place, but also organizing my many thoughts into compartments labelled "Not For Now," "To Be Continued," and "Urgent"... and I have a hard time prioritizing.

"Wise" - IF

2008-11-12T06:03:00.000-08:00

Our tradition wisely teaches us that on the one hand, the individual should view the world as having been created solely for him, but on the other hand, he is but dust and ashes. In this way we strive to enjoy the pleasures of this world while never forgetting its transient nature, and keeping our priorities in order. It is said of a sage who kept two pieces of paper in either pocket with this as a reminder...

To Dwell in the Palace

2008-11-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

I`ve just read "Forever my Jerusalem," a personal account of the siege of the Old City in 1948 by Puah Shteiner. The story was still embedded in my thoughts as I drifted through the Old City this morning. Usually I dodge the tourists and slowpokes with my New-York-acquired lightning-speed pace, but today I just sat on a bench, as ancient as the stones surrounding me, watching people. The French couple I drew above approached me and gave me their details in Paris just in case I visit... What a nice way to make connections...
Feeling great and grateful to be here.

A Bus Ride in Jerusalem

2008-11-04T03:35:00.000-08:00

Now I have to say that I am not anti-American... I am actually marrying one. But there are certain types that, how should I say it... stand out... in the simple settings of Jerusalem. It just bothers me that people come here expecting everyone to cater to their needs, when they are, in fact, in Israel!

Repair - IF

2008-10-29T04:19:00.000-07:00

Healing means starting over, over on the remains of the past. The past lies beneath in ruins, but instead of denying it we build over it, renovating the old and integrating it with the new. Our past remains as part of the picture and builds up to what is present above it. This is my definition of repair.

Coffee Bean on Yafo

2008-10-22T03:44:00.000-07:00

Oh, why oh why do we succumb to 21-shekel drinks that only make us sick?? The success of this place is, in my humble opinion, due to the clean, protective environment it seems to offer its customers. Here, amid the hordes of American teenagers and students, with English books and newspapers sitting on the bookshelves, it`s almost as if you are back in good old consumerist America. It`s comforting to have that something familiar when Israel still has no reliable customer service or money-back at stores. At least you don`t feel so alone. And at least there`s a Starbucks-like ambience where you could just sit for hours at a time without worrying about a waiter coming over to hustle you.

New Year`s Resolution

2008-10-21T04:53:00.000-07:00

The Jewish New Year has come, the latest stream of holidays is over, and once again I am inspired to break out my paints and brushes and get working, work like a maniac, quickly before it wears off! It`s been a while. Wedding bells are ringing and my fiance and I are running around town checking out apartments which we probably cannot afford and trying to wrap things up before it gets too late. Sadly, my best creative ideas have always come to me almost in a dream over the Sabbath and holidays, when I cannot write them down. But I am hoping to regain my inspiration and get started again.

Satisfaction

2008-07-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

My entry for Illustration Friday`s new topic, "Enough."I liked the definition: "Enough - in a quantity or degree that answers a purpose or satisfies a need or desire"I`m feeling pretty satisfied right now... beyond that, even, but in the healthy way in which a cup is overflowing but needs no more than what it contains to satisfy its function...

Morning in Meah Shearim

2008-07-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

A timeless place, full of stairs and rusty balconies and white shirts hanging on a line... Old Chassidic men disappearing round the corner before I get a chance to draw them properly.

Sitting in a narrow street, people watching us curiously... girls with braids shyly peer over our shoulders. Women hurrying about.

Sitting by the shuk (market), close to a smelly fish shop... He should have paid us for all the customers we attracted for him!

Fierce Longing - IF

2008-07-13T05:15:00.000-07:00

Waterlilies

2008-06-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

Painted waterlilies yesterday at the Israel Museum, for a change. Way too often I find myself rushing through the day in an attempt to finish everything that I set out to do. Painting outdoors forces me to sit still and study something for much longer than I would normally do at any other time. I was amazed to discover a whole mini-world in this murky little pond, with flaming-red goldfish and a frog-prince tugging at the waterlily stems from below the surface. A waterlily opened to the sun before my eyes. The combination of soft pinks, greens and yellows was so soothing that I was immediately able to block out the surrounding view of staff on break, tourists and young children, although their presence was felt and heard and contributed to the overall atmosphere of nature`s startling beauty.

At Avram`s

2008-06-22T07:16:00.000-07:00

My night at Avram Cafe with Bloria and Raquel... the singer had an annoying voice but atleast she made a good model!

Waterlilies Take Two

2008-06-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

Chana Devorah and I returned to the Israel Museum this week to visit our little pond. The frog (alleged ruler of this little kingdom) even graced us with his presence and posed for my drawing for as long as he could bear it, until finally disappearing into the depths below... (I think the queen called him.)

2008-06-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

Luckily, I have come to the realisation that I am not a machine, and the working day does not have to be stacked with stuff in every available nook and cranny. So that`s taken atleast 20 pounds of "artist`s guilt" off my shoulders (Was I the first to coin that expression? It seems so prevalent, that who knows...?)Thought for the day: Eric Maisel, the famed American psychotherapist and creative coach, suggests an interesting method to get yourself going: 'Pick a time today to create. When that time arrives, say to yourself, "I am a wild, passionate, energetic creature!" Shout it out, if you dare. Work in a frenzy of creative energy.' - I`ll have to try it but I dare not shout it out loud...

It`s been a while...

2008-06-16T05:29:00.000-07:00

But here I am again, determined to keep this blog going after a year`s absence... Somehow the creative juices are running again. Been drawing outdoors a lot recently, in the Old City and elsewhere. The Old City is the most fun but also the most challenging because there`s so much going on and everything is so picture-perfect that one has a hard time deciding on what to do first. Hopefully this time I will not fade into oblivion as I did before...