A Place For Everyone At The Table...We Are All Created B'tzelem Elohim

We Are All Made בצלם אלהים Btzelem Elohim

This past weekend I worked with approximately 150 children and their educators at Temple Israel Center (TIC) in White Plains New York on a special project celebrating and learning about inclusion and the connection with the concept of being made B'tzelem Elohim (In God's Image).  

For this project students studied three Jewish texts that teach us about being made in God's image, and importantly, what this means for us as humans--what are our responsibilities to ourselves, our planet, our neighbors?  

Text One:

 And God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' 27 And God created man in His own image, in the image of God created him; male and female created He them. 28 And God blessed them; and God said unto them: 'Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have rule over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that lives on the earth.‘    -Genesis 1:26-1:28

Text Two:

(Rabbi Akiva)would say, ‘Human beings are beloved because they were created in the image of God. It is an even greater love that this was made know to humanity, as it says, "and in the image of God were people created."-Mishnah Pirkei Avot 3:14 

Text Three:

Rabbi Hama, son of Rabbi Hanina, said: What does the Torah mean when it says: “You shall walk in the ways of the Lord(Deuteronomy 13:5).”  Can a person really walk in the shadow of God?  Rather, it means that you should imitate the ways of God… Just as God visits the sick, so you too should visit the sick.  Just as God comforts those who are sad, so you too should comfort those who are sad.   --Babylonian Talmud, Sota 14a

Each text presents a different perspective, and we used them to layer our conversation to come up with what it means to be made in God's image. We talked about being stewards of our environment, about including and loving all people, no matter how different they are, and about how being made in God's imge is not about how we look but about how we act.    

Then I taught students how to use watercolor resist using oil pastels and watercolor paint, and they created self portraits that showed how they were uniquely made in God's image.  

Student portraits included images of themselves taking care of animals, being kind to their friends, planting trees, painting, dancing, playing sports, reading and doing math amongst other things.  

They were able to demonstrate their uniqueness in a way that celebrated themselves along with God and creation.  It was a beautiful thing.  

Once the study and art creation was complete, I gathered all the artwork together and began the two day process of transforming this table into a complete work of art.  

I prepared the surface for our work (and used a hand sander for the first time!)

I cut out each and every piece of artwork, so that I could layer the self portraits and their details in an appealing way.  then I began laying out the images.  

I designed the table so that no matter which angle you approached it from, the faces would always be looking at you.  

I layered the self portraits and the special details, and used Mod Podge to seal them on the table.

I used acrylic paint to paint the sides and fill in the gaps where the artwork did not overlap.

And then, based on the conversations and text study, I used paint pens (Liquitex has some amazing ones) to detail the edges with the students' own words on the meaning of being made B'tzelem Elohim.

Here are some final close up pictures before the table gets its acrylic table top (for protection).  This table will live in this alcove, with the benches, for learners and community members to use and enjoy for many years to come.

I had an amazing time working with this community.  Thanks for having me Temple Israel Center!

Busy Busy

Its been a busy time in my studio! I've been getting ready for my solo show "Tradition and Inspiration" that will be at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art starting January 22nd.  The show, which runs until April 4th, will include 45 original works that have been mainly created in the last 5 years.  I find this time frame to be most appropriate since that has been the amount of time that I have lived in Central Pennsylvania, and the time in which I have been my most productive, and most truly embraced the idea of being a working artist.

I am excited to share this body of work with you and to reflect on this theme which resonates so strongly through my experience as a Jewish educator and artist.

In addition to the work I have been creating for this show, and the work I have been creating for commissions or for sale, I have also been teaching.  I love how the act of teaching and developing communal art projects has been so invigorating, and how that work has inspired my own work, as well as the opposite.
As I endeavor to create and to be inspired, I am amazed at how fully this cycle is self perpetuating.  I teach, I create, I reflect, I begin again. I think I need to write a blog about this!  well, that will be more work for another day.

For today, I simply wanted to give you a glimpse into the work in my studio.  The works on my walls, on my art table, and on the side table (since I am out of room on my walls and on my art table), are all works in progress.  I can't wait to see what they will become, and to bring them all together, in their final form.

And this last piece is finally done...I think.