Be Ready When Your Muse Strikes!!

We are all doing things a bit differently during this era of Corona Virus.  And yet, in some ways, I'm finding the more things change, the more things stay the same!  

For me, this means that I am making more art than ever.  And, given that my kids have nowhere to go, and I am not even commuting to my job (at least, for now), I have more time to do what I love--make art, and talk  about making art.  

Over the past few months I've also had the opportunity to engage a number of people with art over Zoom. Art and Zoom, two things that go together remarkably well--who knew?

The groups were varied: kids, adults, teachers and colleagues, all engaging for different reasons.  What they all had in common was an interest in being creative, and a possibly a lack of tons of fancy art supplies to play with.  

During our sessions,  whether it was kids or adults making art in their homes, or educators planning for an unpredictable year, everyone seems to want to know:  

What should I have on hand, to be ready when the muse strikes?  

So, I created a list of materials I like to have on hand, both for myself and in my classroom.  

The goal of this list is accessibility for all!  These are suggestions that I make for people who dabble in art, or for teachers who would like to bring art into their classrooms in an affordable way.  I do use all of the materials that I suggest, but as a professional artist I am leaving out some of my more specialized or more expensive materials.  

Note that this list is not all inclusive by any means.  If you have access to different materials, or prefer different media, go ahead and use them!  The most important thing is to have simple materials on hand, ready to go, so that when inspiration hits, you don't have to shut it down while you make an art store run. Also, please note that I get no kickbacks and this is not meant to be an advertisement.  If you love, (or hate), one of these materials, feel free to share your feedback, or simply use something else.  

 Simple Supply Suggestions 

• Heavy Mixed Media or Watercolor Paper: Mixed Media paper is great because it is thick and does well with both wet and dry media. It can be used with watercolor paint, markers, crayons and pastels.  You can also use it to create collage with glue sticks.  If you get it very wet or gluey, it may warp a little bit. 

•     Watercolor Paint Trays: I like using the Prang tray sets—the colors are very rich and create vibrant paintings.  I also like these student sets with more variety. The color comes out a bit less intense than with the Prang sets, and I like that there are more choices of color.

• Paint Brushes: I buy these in bulk for classroom projects. I often buy sets like this and give students a choice of brushes to use.  If you are purchasing brushes for personal use, or for use with thicker paints like acrylic, be aware that better quality brushes can get pricey, but they will hold up  to heavier or more intense use. Cheaper brushes usually need to be replaced more often as they lose hair or shape.   

• Oil Pastels or Cray Pas: I love using oil pastels with kids, and in my own art as well! They can be used on their own or to resist watercolor paint for vibrant, ethereal painting styles.  They can be blended and color mixed.   You can buy multiple smaller sets, so each kid/group has their own, or you can buy larger sets with more variety, and divide them into baggies for individual or group use.  Oil pastels can also be called cray pas.   I like the brand  Cray Pas Expressionist.  Here is a link to a multi cultural set that is great for working on self portraits. 

• Glue Sticks: Glue sticks are easy to use with little mess. I think the  all purpose ones adhere better than the washable ones, but either will work.

• White Glue: I like to have a large jug of white glue that can be divided out into smaller containers for students to use.  White glue can also be diluted to create a decoupage glue that works like the more expensive but always fun Mod Podge (measure 1 part water to 1 part glue in a small bowl, use a paintbrush to brush onto your surface). Elmer's School Glue is washable and a bit thinner than Elmer's Glue All which is not necessarily washable and is a bit stronger.   

• Construction Paper: I always have a variety of construction paper colors around. Choose whatever brand you like best, but take note of thickness--some construction papers can be very flimsy!

• Collage Papers and Scrap Materials:  I save reusable packaging with interesting patterns, colors or textures, scrapbook papers, magazines to cut pictures from, old books, fancy coloring book pages, cardboard, anything that looks interesting and can be reused.  I keep a bin of collage materials, so when I find something I like, I just drop it in the bin for use at some other time.  I keep my scrap papers organized separately, in bins divided by color. 

• Yarn and Fabric: I love sewing and weaving, so I like to have fun fabrics, colorful yarn, threads and floss around.  I'm convinced there are two types of crafty people in the world-fiber people and non-fiber people.  You know which one you are!  If you are the non-fiber crafty type, don't go out and buy anything.  If you are the fiber type, you probably have everything you need already!

• Tools: Keep a box of tools, like rulers, pencils, erasers, good “adult” scissors and scissors for kids to use. For my fiber arts friends, a separate pair of good fabric scissors, labeled DO NOT CUT PAPER WITH THESE ON PAIN OF DEATH  is a must have as well.  

• Fine Tip and Regular Markers:  This is a case where quality does mean more expensive.  Crayola markers work just fine in some cases, and are washable (make sure you check the packaging)  but dry out fairly quickly. Colorful Sharpies are super popular and fun to use.  They are, of course, not at all washable. Consider yourself warned! Fancy markers just go up in price and quality from there.  I am a fan of Copic and Prismacolor markers, and I use Faber-Castell Pitt india ink pens for fine lines, but I would not use these with students unless I really liked them (the students) a lot.  Like, a really lot.  Like, I don't even like my own children enough to let them ruin  use them. 

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        What are YOUR favorite must-have supplies???

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Talking to my children about the PIttsburgh Synagogue Shooting

I wasn’t going to write anything about the shooting at the synagogue in Pittsburgh, because really, what more is there to say that hasn’t already been said? But as another friend pointed out, for some of you, I may be the only Jewish voice you hear.  So I will make sure to share, so that you know. 

I am rattled. I am shaken and scared. I am a religious Jew. I go to synagogue almost every week and I work for a Jewish organization. I bring my children to services and I watch my husband lead our congregation from the bima. I am an educator who has run synagogue schools for 12 years and taught in them for 18. I have been to Squirrel Hill many times over our years in Pennsylvania, and I am so so sad today. I am also angry. 

Angry because when I read that this shooting happened during a BABY NAMING I gasped so loud I could no longer keep this away from my 8 year old. And I couldn’t tell him what happened—not yet. I am going to read more, to try to figure out how to tell my children what happened in a way that won’t make them afraid to go to synagogue—the place we go every week—the place where their father works—and I just can’t think of a way to tell them this. But they go to Hebrew school and a Jewish Day School—so they will certainly hear about it, and that means I need to tell them first. But right now I just can’t. because then they will understand Anti-Semitism is about them. And that people don’t just shoot other people, but our people. That it could happen to them. And that shouldn’t matter, because we care about everyone. 

But actually, it does matter—this is about us, and it makes us scared and angry and so so sad.

I found a few articles for talking to children about Anti-Semitism that I thought might be helpful.  

PJ Library: How to Talk to Children about Anti-Semitism

Jewish Education in a Scary World

JSSA: Tips for Talking to Children about Anti-Semitism

Jteach: Art Based Techniques for Challenging Times


And that is all I have for right now.  

~Julie

I had an epiphany about my painting...and then about my life

I realized the other day, while I was working on a new painting, that my best work, the work that has the most depth, is usually accomplished by painting a new painting on top of an old one.  Why is that?  because what inevitably ends up happening is that I leave parts of the old painting visible in the new painting.  It is almost unrecognizable in the sense that the intention of the old painting is usually completely covered up--but small details, layers of color or shape, are woven in.  In doing this, the painting takes on more layers, more detail and usually a sense of freedom or etheriality.  The weaving of layers is an essential accident of my best work.

When I realized this I had two thoughts almost simultaneously--the first thought was I need to start doing this intentionally.  I decided to start creating "underpaintings" as a part of my process.  Many artists do this, at least with color washes--they paint a solid color or color wash onto their canvas before they begin a painting.  This way, when they paint, they are responding to a unified color throughout the work (instead of the stark white of a blank canvas).  My under painting idea is similar, but rather than wash the whole canvas in one color, i create  a very quick abstract image with multiple shapes and sections, and fill them in with paint or collage.  In doing this, essentially, I"m setting the stage for color play and shape integration by creating pieces that may or may not be woven into my final painting.

This is an underpainting--quick shapes and colors filling the canvas

My second insight was far more personal:  I have moved many times over the past few years.  I find it most striking when thinking in terms of my children and their lives.  My 12 year old son has lived in 8 homes during his life.  That is 5 states and 2 countries.  Considering I lived in the same state for my entire childhood until I graduated college, this moving around thing has been a surprising twist to my life that I could not have even imagined when I was a kid (I had never been on an airplane until I was 11 or 12--my son did his first cross Atlantic flight/move when he was 9 weeks old).

Moving around a lot has added shape and color to my life in ways that I'm not sure I can even explain or fully understand. And while many of the moves have been positive, there have also been challenges.  I certainly did not expect to move from Pennsylvania to Michigan with my boys last year only to move again this year to Maryland.  And while new is exciting, and we might like to think of our life as one big adventure, I am frankly over the adventure.  I would love to settle down, find a home, build a life and let my roots grow deep.

But back to the layers:  I realized, each time I move, each time I become part of a new community, I grow.  I create, or uncover, a piece of myself--and, like my paintings, I realized that as I move on, I become my best self by layering and weaving those pieces together.  SO while the moving has had its challenges, I also know that I am becoming the person I am supposed to be--growing, layering and learning as a result.

Dreaming of Home  36"x48" Mixed Media on Board

This painting, measuring 36" x 48" is the result of painting on top of an existing painting.  It is called "Dreaming of Home"--with each home representing a state or country I have lived in with my family: Michigan, New York, Israel, New Jersey, Pennsylvania,Michigan again and Maryland.

My New Book is Here!!!

My new book, Make, Create, Celebrate! Jewish Holidays Through Art (Behrman House, 2018) is here!!! It took me over two years to develop from concept to final product, which includes the book, a leaders/teachers guide and a series of how-to videos.  In many ways this is the book I always wanted to write, and it is a direct result of the work I have been doing in my Jewish Learning Through Art workshops.  It is part Jewish holiday resource book and part art journal.  It is written for 4th to 6th grade, but I've used parts of it with adults as well.  I am so so thrilled with how it turned out, and I am so excited to share it with you!

Click here to purchase your own copy of Make Create Celebrate! Jewish Holidays through Art

The publication  of this book happens to coincide with another big move for me.  I will be moving to Annapolis Maryland this summer, and I CANNOT WAIT to get to know our new home, meet the people of Maryland and bring my Jewish Learning Thru Art program to this awesome city.

Communal Collage Making and Class Legacy

Working with kids never ceases to amaze me.  I am continually impressed by their creativity, their insights and their talent.
A while back I spent an artist residency at Claysburg Kimmel High School, working with a group of seniors on a mural that will be their legacy to the school after they graduate.
We had a ton of fun and despite the serious senior-itis they were all experiencing (it was their final project before graduation), we got a lot done.

We started our process by talking about their class and what message they wanted to leave behind as they moved on.
They talked about how they were all individuals, coming from different backgrounds before starting school together.  Being a small rural community, most of these kids have known each other for most of their lives, but school has been their rock keeping them together.  They are now ready to move on and off into different directions.

From this conversation we talked about the metaphor of the tree, and how the roots were their individual identities, the trunk was their time together in school and the branches were their future paths as they take what they have learrned and move on.
They loved this idea and we ran with it in the creation of our work.

They really wanted to incorporate all the members of their senior class in the symbolism, so they decided to include things like their class flower and articles from the newspaper. They also decided to include the names of the entire senior class in the grass around the roots of the tree.  They invited every member of the senior class to add to the tree top, and we created circles for them to fill in with oil pastels and watercolor paint. 

We explored the concept of mixed media and they did everything from designing the work to creating painted papers to finding newspaper images to drawing to painting to collaging.  They worked collaboratively and regularly engaged in critical conversations to make sure that the work was progressing the way they wanted it to.  they were able to self-evaluate and to change course when things went awry. 
I was so impressed with their dedication to the project and their ability to work together to make something amazing.
I loved working with this group and am so excited by their final piece.

A Year of LIving Creatively

Its been over a year since I made the commitment to making art everyday.   It has been incredibly empowering and has lead to some exciting developments.

One of the best things that has happened is that in a very real way, creating art has lead to more creating of art.  I think this is true of any practice--doing more has lead me to be more motivated and more inspired to do even more.  It is pretty cyclical that way.  And so, the more I create, the more I create.   

It has also been true that the more I create and put out into the social media universe, the more jobs and commissions I have received.  Last week I shipped out 9 (9!!!) paintings to new homes, and I have 5 more in progress that I am hoping to finish and ship out by the end of January.  I'm also working on a new book (details coming soon!) that I am very excited about.

Here are some simple principles that have helped me in my practice of making art every day.  

1.  Making art everyday does not mean finishing a piece of art every day.  It can be anything from doodling/drawing while relaxing at the end of the day to adding a layer or details to a piece of art.  most of my art takes many layers--I almost never finish a piece in one sitting.  so I am not looking towards completion--only working on the process.  

2. Finding my best time to work:  I am at my most creative and motivated in the late morning, so I do my best work then.  I find that if I get started around 9 or 10 in the morning, after getting the kids off to school, attending to emails and more mundane tasks, then by 10 I am ready to get painting.  If I hit my stride, I can work for a few hours before stopping to do other non art related work.  In doing art everyday I have learned that I have a pattern, and if I wait too long to begin, nothing real or productive will get done (unless I am on a deadline, in which case I push myself and end up creating on fumes--sometimes this pushes me to create my best work, other times it just feels desperate).

3. Having supplies at the ready: I know which supplies I use the most, and generally have them available when I get started.  This includes the paint colors I use the most, the brushes, canvases, cups for water (really--you have no idea how annoying it is to be ready to paint and not be able to find a container for water), and a clear working space.  I do like a good art supply run, but running out to the store instead of using that time to create is not so productive.  

Here are some of the pieces I have created this year:  

I have benefitted so much from creating art every day.  I can't wait to see what will happen next!

A Case for the Arts in Jewish Education

There is an old Robert Frost Poem that says that "good fences make good neighbors” in which two neighbors spend their time mending the walls between them. As we read, Frost guides us to wonder: just because conventional wisdom says walls and fences are good, does that make it true?

When it comes to the arts and Jewish education, I have come to think that good fences make for neighbors who are cut off from each other, who don't work together, and are weaker for it. Since we have no cows that need to be fenced in, I find myself, prompted by Frost, thinking that perhaps we don't need fences at all*.  

Students use the art of zentangle to play with and learn their Hebrew names

The prevailing ethos in general education is blending--engaging in multimedia experiences, using technology and integrating subjects to create a more holistic learning approach.  We know from the research that human brains are not wired with fences between subjects.  Our brains are glorious connection making machines.

This is why, when talking about the arts in Jewish education, it is so surprising when they get shrugged off.  As a synagogue educator and a teacher of Judaics at Camp Ramah, as well as a working artist, I KNOW that in most Jewish learning environments we are faced with a lack of time, a paucity of resources, and a crisis of disconnection.  When forced to make choices, it is easy to see why the arts often fall off the list of offerings.  And yet, ESPECIALLY because we are so limited, we NEED the arts even more. 

Our twenty first century socially connected children are digital natives in a constant state of seeking.  They spend their days communicating and connecting in ways that previous generations could not have even imagined.  They are passionate and discerning and accustomed to the regular search for meaning. They want to learn about things they see as personally relevant.  It is precisely in this context that we must recognize that while skills and content literacy are building blocks that we cannot do without, if we do not provide our students with context, with an opportunity to slow down and consider their relevance, then we are providing only half of an education.

Students study individual morning prayers and create representational
images, then use those images to create a collage that
connects the concepts and images together.  

In an age where facts and information are readily available, all educators must rethink our approach to learning.   Our only choice is to educate towards greater spiritual engagement, to explore moral education, to present our tradition in terms of the great human desires: for belonging, for creative exploration, for moral development, for connection.  When viewed with this lens, we know that Judaism and Jewish Education have much to offer.  And there is no field more ready to help take this on in real, human ways, than the arts.

When we look at practicing artists and craftspeople in the world, we primarily see the results of their creations.  We see that the potter molds the clay and creates the vase.  What we may not see, unless we are intimately involved in the act of creation, is that the reverse is true as well.  Just as the artist molds the clay, the clay also molds the artist.  During the act of creation, the maker is fully engaged—they are thinking, analyzing, making choices, trying, failing and trying again.  When they are done, they see the world a little bit differently.  The maker is transformed during the act of making. 

Doesn’t that also sound like our goals for Jewish education? 

I would argue that in any Jewish educational setting our primary goal is that of transformation.  We want our community members to be engaged, to make meaning and to find relevance in practice.  As teachers, we are in search of ways to engage the whole person—mind, body and spirit.  Our students are also in search of ways that they can reflect and learn in deeply personal and meaningful ways. 

So, what does this look like in Jewish educational and camp settings?  When we think creatively and integratively, we can find endless ways in which the arts can be employed to help us build compelling and rich Jewish environments.  When we teach Torah and reflect on relationships by acting them out, this is Jewish art education.  When we create prayer based meditation collages that reflect on and inform our kavanah (intentions), this is Jewish art education. When we find natural objects around camp and bring them together to create a communal mosaic, and reflect on what it means when we all share a small piece to create something larger (like in the creation of the Beit Hamikdash or in the building of our edah community) this is Jewish art education.  When we bring Jewish ideas into the art room and onto the stage, and when we bring artmaking and reflection into our praying, playing and living spaces, when we break down the walls dividing the arts from everything else, we can find incredible opportunities to enrich our learning experiences and environment.    Jewish art education is, simply, the exploration of Jewish values, texts or ideas, through the act of creation.   

When you think about it, the integration of art into the whole of Jewish education seems like an obvious choice.  The arts help us to think about meaning in metaphorical terms. They inspire us (even require us) to make our own connections. When our Jewish settings allow us space and time to create visual imagery, dramatic interpretations, perform, build, communicate and create, we make our learning and our Judaism our own.  We find our voice and add it to the voices that came before us, and those that will come after us.  I don’t think it is too bold to say that engaging with the arts can be life altering, and when we build that practice into our learning, the effects can be truly dramatic. In truth, I think we are all thirsty for this kind of learning.  Our job is to break down those fences, grapple with our limitations of time and resources, and find innovative ways to make it happen. 

 (*note: I originally came across this analogy in an article by Connie Dalke on art education and special needs inclusion, “There are no cows here”, 1984)

DIY Woven Wall Hanging

Today in the studio I finally did something with the bits and pieces of leftover yarn I've been collecting for a while.  I decided to try my hand at weaving.

The nice thing about weaving is you don't really need to have any special skills and it can be done with random bits of yarn and fabric.

Traditionally weaving is made on a loom, and  there are many varieties out there.  You can easily make one with a piece of cardboard and some string, but I happened to have a latch hook mat lying around from an abandoned project one of my kids was working on.  I thought it would be the perfect loom for my weaving.

Here are the supplies I used:

• a latch hook mat ( you can get them in the sewing section at any craft store)
• a stick a few inches longer than the width of my latch hook mat -- a dowel rod will work, but I chose to find a stick outside, to add to the texture and unique feel of the final piece
• chunky yarn in a variety of textures/colors, in medium to thick weight
• scissors
• string/yarn for hanging

The process is actually pretty simple.  I like texture and lots of knotting and natural messiness so I used that in my weaving as well.

First I cut the latch hook mat down to the size that I wanted.  I went with smaller than I originally planned, because weaving takes a lot of time!

To start, I took a piece of yarn and tied it to one end at the top of the latch hook mat.

Then I poked the yarn in and out of each square in the mat, over and under to create the woven look.  Sometimes I skipped every other hole, and sometimes I added extra knots to create texture or surprising details.  

It certainly doesn't need to be perfect (I think its so much better when its not perfect and when you let the materials surprise you), and you can go back and add more yarn to spots that look like they need more texture or filling.  

when I had about two inches left, I created a loop by folding the mat over and used some extra yarn to tie it in place.  If I do this again, I would start with the two inches at the top, and probably create the loop before I do anything else.  Like I said, this was my first weaving project!

I snipped a few of the hanging yarn pieces (turns out it was a bit too messy, even for me!) then I took my stick and threaded it through the loop.  I added yarn to each side to hang it, and voila!

I also got my kids involved.  They were very excited about the idea of weaving, though they did get a bit frustrated with the small holes.  For them, next time, I will create a cardboard loom that will be easier for them to use.  

Making Art, Making Meaning

Every Summer for the past four years I have had the opportunity to work at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires.  It is a wondeful opportunity for my kids to go to camp, and for me to work with an amazing staff and transmit Judaism in an immersive and fun environment.  Every year I return refreshed and inpsired by the work, the colleagues, and the environment.

I wanted to share some of the amazing work my campers did this summer.  These kids, ages 12 to 15, chose to come to my art based Judaism classes (Jewish Learning thru Art).  Throughout the month we studied various Jewish texts, prayers and psalms, and used micrography, collage, acrylic paint and watercolor resist to create meaningful and beautiful works of art.  These campers were so thoughtful, hard working and insightful.  They were such a pleasure to work with.

Enjoy some of their amazing projects:

Taking It All Down

I'm very late in posting images from my museum show.  So late, in fact, that the show is already over.  I figure now is as good a time as any to share the images, now that the show is only a memory (Sad tear dripping down my face).

Here are some images from Julie Wohl: Inspiration and Tradition, at the Southern Alleghenies Museum of Art (January 23 to May 7). It was a great run.

Many thanks to everyone who came out to support! Including my parents who came in from California and my sister who came in from Michigan. Love you all!