Torah Adornments / Breast Plates

I'm not sure what my resistance is to calling them breast plates- I just prefer the term adornments!

Congregation Neveh Shalom in Portland, Oregon has been kind enough to offer ORA (my art group) display space. The High Holiday show opened today and will close October 5th. Much of our work is Judaica based...and the rest is spiritual in nature and represents the hard work of my artist colleagues.

I don 't have much to display since I haven't been able to create new items, but I am displaying a fused glass seder plate and a Torah Adornment.  Rabbi Brad Greenstein has agreed to display two additional Adornments on Torahs we'll use in the downstairs services he'll be leading with Cantor Ilene Safyan.

I am so honored....and so excited. I have been using the adornments to mark an eastern interior wall of my house...each, a mizrach. I love looking at them there, but seeing them actually on a Torah.....I can't explain the feelings I have! Much gratitude to the shul...and Rabbi Brad!

NOT READY TO ARM WRESTLE YET !

Well, I'm not ready for  arm wrestling yet....but the elbow is straightening out  and also bending well.
I'll get fresh x rays at the end of the month and hopefully will then get the go ahead to start weight bearing.

Our art group, ORA will have a show at Neveh Shalom for about 6 weeks. I'm a little sad that I can't create something new for that so I hope to figure out a way to display my Torah adornments.

I'm starting to sketch out some new ideas and hope that I  can get started soon. I did find some pre-cut blanks in my studio, so maybe I can create some embellishments using the saw next week.....I might just pull that off!

wish me luck!

Three New Torah Adornments

These are the three new Torah Breast Plates I made to complete the set.

I'll spend some time in later posts discussing each individual piece in the set.

I was happy to finish this project- the result of trying to study each book of the Torah and then narrowing down the theme of each to a simple phrase.

From top to bottom, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuternomy.

Our Night in the Elements!

We had a great night at Elements gallery. Estimates run between 225 and 250 guests!


It was a great learning experience and the show continues through the 14th of March.....
19th and Vaughn. A great gallery and glass hot shop.


open daily 1-4.....


Come see my Torah Adornments!


I'll be there on the 11th and 12th. See you there?