Hayom Harat Olam...Today is Pregnant With Eternity.

On Rosh Hashanah we hear the shofar blast and recite "Hayom Harat Olam"  Today the world is born. Another translation that I"ve heard is: "Today is pregnant with eternity".  What a concept! Today is all potential.  Our world is waiting; ready to be recreated, reimagined, and reborn.  Today we await what will be and we are also the creators of what will be.  Is there any greater state of readiness, of actively waiting than pregnancy?

L'chol Kora'v: To All Who Call

This painting, called L'chol Korav:To all who call, reminds me of this state of expectation.Today is pregnant with eternity. Hayom Harat Olam.Today is about potential.We are filled with excitement and nerves and waiting and impatience for what will be.No matter what comes next, nothing will ever be the same.  

I'm excited for this new year. I have great hopes for myself and my family. I have a new niece to love and spoil, and my own children are growing too fast. My work is satisfying and I keep finding new projects to keep me learning and growing (and procrastinating). I have some goals too, some private ones, that are about the pieces of my life that I am unsatisfied with. Perhaps this will be the year that I will finally let go of the behaviors that way me down and the parts of my life that are less than ideal.  Who knows what will be. Today is pregnant with eternity. Today is my chance to make change.  

With Best Wishes For a Shana Tovah! Happy New Year!

The Student Becomes the Teacher

For my whole life as an artist (basically my whole life), I have created two dimensional work--I draw, I paint, I collage.  Two years ago, when I started teaching in Omanut (ART) at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, I quickly realized that flat drawing and painting has limited appeal amongst campers.  Some were totally into it, but most wanted something a bit more dynamic.  I struggled to find projects that were
more "crafty"---more 3-dimensional.  I found a few--and I'll talk in another post about some of them,  but today, I want to talk about my own work, and a project that started at camp that has become an obsession for me in my professional art making life.

Soft Hand Painted Sculptures!

It started when my mom gave me a sewing machine this summer, about a week before I left to work at camp.  I have never sewn before but I knew I wanted to do something arty---NOT PRACTICAL---with it.  I've been thinking alot about making dolls, and thought the new sewing machine would be a great way to play with the idea.  My mom showed me the basics, but I left for camp still not really knowing what to do with my new machine.

My new sewing machine, in its temporary home on my painting table.  

I decided the best way to play with the idea was to give my campers projects where we all had to learn together.  SO, I had two groups work with the idea of soft sculpture.  One group of fifth graders took on the project of creating monsters/creatures out of fabric.

The steps:

1. They designed simple monster/creature patterns on paper.
2. I showed them how to create their creature out of one basic shape ( a circle, a heart, whatever they wanted). We would add details with additional fabric, feathers, googly eyes, etc. later.
2. They pinned their pattern to two pieces of fabric (the front and back of their creature) and cut out the fabric.
3. I taught them to use our camp sewing machines---though one student preferred to do the project by hand.
4.They sewed the outline of their shapes, leaving a 2-inch opening for turning the shape inside out (to hide the stitches) and stuffing.
5. They turned their shapes inside out, stuffed them, and hand sewed the opening closed.
6. They used  additional fabric, buttons, feathers and googly eyes to decorate both sides of their creatures. We used a glue gun to attach the details.

I think they did a great job, don't you?

Which brings me to my new passion---hand painted soft sculptures.  When I saw the brilliant work my students did with such simple materials, I realized this was something that I wanted to do too!  I've been playing with my new sewing machine and having a great time making soft sculptures, dolls, and monsters.  Thanks to Camp Ramah and my amazing campers for the inspiration! And of course, thanks to my mom for the sewing machine!

This is the first doll  I made while at camp---I loved painting her with acrylics and detailing her with fabric puffy paint, ribbon and a purple gem stone.  

When I got home, I continued making art dolls.  Here are two projects that I made---Two Sided Flip Dolls.  (Each doll is actually two dolls---one on each side).  

Two Sided Flip Doll (Side A)

Two Sided Flip Doll (Side B)

Front Side Green/Orange Monster

Back Side Green/Orange Monster