New Business Card

Side 1

Side 2

 Just ordered new business cards....maybe they will arrive before the show next Saturday night/Sunday! 

Why did I procrastinate so long? 

CELEBRATION OF ART '22  @ MJCC 5561 SW Capitol Hwy- PDX

Saturday Oct. 29 7-9pm,   Sunday Oct 30 10a-4p

Quilted Glass

                 

ORA's annual Art show Celebration of Art has been on hiatus (no gratitude extended to the CORONA VIRUS).... BUT WE ARE BACK!!!!!!

Saturday October 29th 7-9 pm at the MJCC and Sunday October 30th 10a-4p

The MJCC is located at 5561 SW Capitol Hwy in Portland Oregon.

I have some new designs! Here's a little of the back story. My dad was a tailor. A tailor from the old country. A talented tailor.... as in if you compared his hand-stitched seams with a machine-stitched seam....you couldn't tell the difference.

I tried to sew once. I loved fabric...the textures, patterns....both appealed to my sense of touch and sight.

Long story short....it was a disaster! I still love fabric...and appreciate anyone who can sew a straight seam, be it hand-sewn or by machine.

Glass can have similar attributes to fabric. Handled in the right ways, glass can be manipulated  to offer a variety of visual aesthetics as well as surface and sub surface textures. Instead of sewing glass (hmmm, another interesting thing to pursue some day!) I assemble glass parts sheets I have made, much as a quilter selects fabric scraps, cuts them, and assembles them into colorful arrays.

I went to the Latimer Quilt and Textile Museum in Tillamook Oregon this summer (one of my favorite places to visit) and yet again saw the ways in which talented artists used fabric the way other artists use paint. They crafted amazing quilts...some as sculptures, some as fabric paintings, and others as modern interpretations of the classic quilts we all know. I breathed it all in! 

Using textured glass left over from other projects and making a few additional pattern sheets, my first attempts to use glass as fabric scraps to emulate quilts in functional designs has been nothing short of fun....and filled with numerous AHA moments, when I learned what did and didn't work! 

Most of my efforts have been using black, white, and occasional gray glass. This one injects a bit of color and has 3 layers of color in it...a small tray....I call it...The Circus . Can you guess why?

CHAMSAH:

 

CHAMSAH- HAMSAH: No Matter How You Spell It....

....it is a protective amulet representing the hand of God.

Hamsa in Arabic, Chamsah in Hebrew....it means 5 (as in 5 fingers)

This mystical amulet is also known by other names. 

Muslims call it The Hand of Fatimah.

Christians refer to it as The Hand of Mary.

Jews know it as the Hand of Miriam.

As a protective amulet it is thought to keep away the evil eye. 

There are many explanations for this amulet and different opinions about whether the fingers should point up or down. 

I'll let you decide!   All three of these glass items will be available for purchase at ORA's Jewish Arts Month sale at the MJCC (6651 SW Capitol Hwy- Portland, OR) March 6-11. I am also happy to accept a commission to make the Chasmal of your dreams!

12"x12" sushi style platter

6" diameter shallow dish

                                                                 6" shallow sushi style dish

Pomegranates !

This time of year always makes me think about pomegranates! It's a fantastic fruit with incredible symbolism! These two are the first poms out of the kiln!

You can see what else I'll be featuring at our Celebration of Art '18 show on this video: (click on it!) oregonmjcc.org/ora

When I Am Not Making Glass

Well, it's been a little quiet in blog land...but I have been busy with a few things!

I just came back from an amazing retreat to the Oregon Coast ....where good food, relaxation, and lovely walks on the beach nourished my belly and my soul.

For several years I have taught a writing class at Rose Schnitzer Manor, an independent and assisted living facility right here in Portland. The group named themselves Older But Wiser several years ago. This is one of the most delightful groups of folks I know....and the average age hovers in the low 90's!

This year we have focused on the art of story telling, inspired by podcasts of THE MOTH.

They are now ready to perform. Each story is only 5-7 minutes long. They are humorous and wise.
They are also true stories. I can't boast enough about these incredible souls! I may be their teacher, but each of them is mentoring me in the fine art of aging well. Won't you join us?  We have a rehearsal at Rose Schnitzer Manor in Zidell Hall, August 21st at 7 pm but I want to encourage attendance at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland OR....September 4.
Admission is of course, free.

             COME SEE US! IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT!

Taste of Art/Celebration of Art

November 5-6 At the MJCC: 6651 SW Capitol Highway

ORA NW Jewish Artists is again presenting a fabulous show and sale!

Saturday evening 7:00-9:00 we will feature a live band, gin and beer sampling and some tasty treats. Over 20 artists will be available to sell you art.

Sunday the doors will open at 10:30 am. More live music and lots of beautiful art work to enjoy and purchase.

I have new artwork....stop by and see me! Lots and lots of glass!!!!

Photos of new work coming soon!

JEWISH ARTS MONTH IS HERE!

A great exhibit and sale just opened at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. You don't have to be a member so stop by and check out the art! It's all for sale and there is usually an artist on duty! (6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Portland OR) All the artists are members of ORA Northwest Jewish Artists.

This is week one . Featured artists include: Brauna Ritchie, Glenn Dercherd, Sharon Segal, Ellen Green, Wendell Russell.

Photos coming soon!!!!!

This exhibit will remain "up" through Friday afternoon March 1.
Sunday March 3 a new exhibit will remain on display for a week...and finally, March 13 our 3rd week of artists will rotate in.
That's my week, so I'm pretty excited to see my work go up at the MJCC AND at Milagro Theater all at the same time!

Week 4 will feature art created by students at Portland Jewish Academy.

It's a great opportunity to view, appreciate, and buy Art!!!!!

TRUNK SALE THIS SUNDAY!

I don't have a cool antique vehicle but I will load up my Honda Odyssey with my glass and set up to sell out of it at the MJCC parking lot this Sunday. 

The address is 6651 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland Oregon.  

Come see me....I have some one of a kind bargains! Buy some art, sign up to be on the ORA Artists mailing list, and get a free frozen treat. 

See you there!

Art Trunk Sale....August 3

I'll be there....will you?

OK, I don't have a cool truck but I will have a van full of glass items at great prices. There will be some functional art pieces, some jewelry, and random "stuff" left over from earlier sales. Come see me!

Glass and Wood!

This is my adventure into combining glass and wood. I'm pretty happy with the results.

I have always been bothered by the incredible waste when I cut glass and have pieces left over that aren't necessarily large enough to use. Glass is expensive, and when I weigh my scraps, I see just how much money I am losing every day!

We're doing some home renovations, so I am also discovering hunks of lumber going to waste.  

So yes, I am dumpster diving...in my own dumpster...retrieving wood scraps. I am excited, energized, and ready to explore this new combination! Some of the wood will become part of my art...and some of the wood will keep me warm this winter!

I only had time to make this one wood/glass combo for the art show this Sunday...but after that, I am going to dedicate some time to my new projects. I have plenty of other new art as well.

Most exciting about all of this is the opportunity to listen to the movement of the glass and the wood. The interplay between the two, the selection of stain, the choices for how else to blend these elements.... the possibilities are simply tantalizing!

It Isn't Always Black or White

Shades of Gray....with a bit of black and white

Come see me Sunday at the Celebration of Art '13

             Mittleman Jewish Community Center

                6651 SW Capitol Hwy- PDX

                              10:30-4:30

* mention the blog and see what you get!

Celebration of Art 2013

November 3, 2013

MJCC

Portland Oregon

free admission

See our new youtube video to catch a glimpse of some of our artists and their new art work.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X4dExdAjYk&feature=youtu.be

I'm excited about the new projects I am working on.

    Check back often.....I'll be posting pix soon!

Big Art Show/Sale November 3 !

New work will begin appearing after the Jewish holidays conclude!

Celebration of Art '13 will take place Nov 3, 2013 at Mittlemann Jewish Community Center
                                6651 SW CAPITOL HWY


Admission is free   10:30am-4:30 pm

I HAVE NEW GLASS....NEW DESIGNS...NEW COMMISSION OPPORTUNITIES!

We have new artists with beautiful and affordable original art available for purchase.

More info to follow!  

MORE TORAH POINTERS!

Both yads allow "magical" light to pass through them....

SOLD!!!!!!
The green yad I posted last week has found a home in New York! 

SInce I have an upcoming show/sale in May, I have made a new green Pointer and a flashy friend to add to my display.

These are still in process. They need to go through a little more polishing and then back into the kiln for a fire polish. These yads are actually wet so you can see what they will look like when they are finished. Dry, they have a matte finish that is dull and lifeless.  It's amazing what a little scrubbing action and heat can do for glass!

Interested? Send me an email (sparksofspirit@gmail.com) or visit me at Portland's Mittleman Jewish Community Center the week of May 19th. I'll post my hours when we get closer to the date.

SNEAK PREVIEW

Here's a close up of a corner of a future round server. Copper mesh is sandwiched between two perfect circles. You'll just have to wait to see the rest of the dish when it's finished!

It will be one of several pieces of glass on display in the lobby show at the MJCC (6651 SW Capitol Hwy) - May 19th - 24.

Free Admission.....All artwork is available for purchase!

You'll also see beautiful painted silks by Diane Fredgant, beadwork by Esther Liberman, and paintings by Jonathon Lietz!

I'll be on site to represent my work periodically. Check back in a couple of weeks and I'll post my schedule!

I'M BACK!

A contemporary window in a 15th century Barcelona cathedral

Three Weeks in Spain! 

Art, architecture, food, wine....... Inspiration at every turn!
I didn't see much in the way of fused glass. There were the occasional cheap trinkets, poorly made but mostly it was the architectural glass that caught my eye.

I'll be back in the studio after Yom Kippur. My next show is Oct 21st at the MJCC (6651 SW Capitol Hwy) 10:30-4:30. Come see me!

In the meantime....I will post some pix of delicious glass from my trip! This was one of my favorites!

Amazing kids do Amazing things!- 3/22/12

Thursday, March 22^nd 6:30 pm

Mittleman Jewish Community Center, Ballroom B

6651 SW Capitol Hwy  Portland, Oregon 97219

Please join us for a free screening to view short films by local Jewish youth.  Subjects range from a documentary about young Jewish artists to snowboarding and music videos.

co-sponsored by the MJCC!

Art Exhibit at the MJCC

The MJCC has once again generously hosted the ORA art show as an introduction to Jewish Arts Month...soon to be renamed Jewish Arts Moments. 


I snapped this off with my phone camera. The exhibit comes down Feb 17th and a new batch of artists will open an exhibit on Sunday the 19th.

Glass Servers

I decided to be a little playful. I made a tilt bowl and some serving tools...all from recycled glass.


It was fun and different!


Want to see the bowl? Go to the ORA blog and check it out...or better yet, come see it on Sunday, Oct 30th  between 10:30-4:30 at the MJCC (6651 SW Capitol Hwy)  CELEBRATION OF ART '11!


Come to my booth and tell me you read my blog.... you'll get a prize! Buy something and I will upgrade your prize!