Wow! What a wonderful day! Beautiful art, talented artists, supportive guests, a magical event manager, and wonderful volunteers. Sunday's Celebration of Art at MJCC was a success all around, and we are so grateful to everyone who helped make it happen.
Nervous, excited, mystified, suspenseful. Certain I've forgotten something important. Waiting for the big Show on Sunday. No more meetings, no more printing, no more phone calls. It's all personal now. See you all on Sunday.
Eddy Shuldman writes:
Last year i wrote about the wonderful art show we attended at Rose Schnitzer Manor, featuring art by residents and employees there. It was beautiful and inspiring. So I'm glad to hear that they're doing another show this year. If you can possibly make it, take an hour or so and go enjoy!
Yay! I am finished with the programme brochure for our Celebration of Art Show, and it is in the printer's hands. Now, it's no secret that the production of this brochure has been a frustrating process for me. But I must say that as i was finishing it up, it really hit me what an accomplishment this is, and how far we have come in 3 1/2 years! This is our fourth annual show and sale, with quite a few exhibit events in between. We have incredible juried guest artists, and we're in the beautiful ballroom of MJCC, and people are starting to KNOW who we are! And some even paid money to have ads in our brochure! Wow, this is impressive! And (now that I can take a moment to breathe) I'm proud to be part of it.
Who are those suspicious looking guys? You'll find out at Celebration of Art next Sunday! Hint: Eddy is putting together an incredible Power Point slide show, which will be running during the art show. We got a peek at a partial version last night, and it's truly celebratory. You will love it! And of course, admission is FREE!
Leslie Elder's painting, "Go for the Goal" was recently juried into the Watercolor Society of Oregon's Fall show, on exhibit this month in McMinnville. There were 80 watercolor paintings juried into the show. Out of the 80 paintings, 20 were chosen to receive awards. Leslie's painting received an award and will be one of 20 award-winning paintings from the show to tour the state of Oregon in the coming year, exhibiting in various galleries aroung the state.
Celebration of ART 2009 will take place on Sunday, October 25th, from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm at Mittleman JCC.
One of our favorite organizations is the Oregon Jewish Museum. They hosted our very first exhibit, and we definitely consider them Family. So we're very happy to hear that OJM has found a new home, and hopes to move in by mid-December.
The work of Sabina Wohlfeiler, our wonderful painter, will be featured in a publication called "Artists of Willamette Heights," to be published in October. Stay tuned for more information about where to buy it.
I got a sneak peak this evening at some of the things Rosana has been working on...... squeeeeeeeeaaaaalllllll !!!!! Very cool! I can barely wait until our Celebration of Art on October 25th to see what everyone else is coming up with! The excitement is starting to build.....
Four members of our group made it to Sabina's opening last night at the Portland Japanese Garden, and it was well worth our time! What a beautiful exhibit! Both the artwork and the setting were just wonderful. The atmosphere was celebrative, but serene. Everything was beautifully exhibited, with gorgeous Ikebana flower arrangements gracefully placed among the displays.
Gary and I saw the famous play "Wicked" while vacationing in Seattle. Wow! It was incredible!
More from Laurie Fendel:
Sabina Wohlfeiler writes:
Laura Joy Fendel writes:
Okay, I did it. Gulp. I signed up for a class at PCC called "So You Think You Can't Draw." Yes indeed, I do think I can't draw! Nothing in the last 54 years has shown any evidence to the contrary. But Eddy and I promised we'd give it a try, so here goes....
you know, just to be prepared!
Ever been tempted to copy that beautiful painting you saw online?
We're in the Jewish Review again! Our very own Laura Joy Fendel is featured in this week's edition of the Portland Jewish paper. A lovely article, written by ORA member Julie Hockley, highlights Laura Joy and her magnificent fabric artworks.
Check out this week's Jewish Review for a great article about our very own Rosana Berdichevsky! It's a nice piece about Rosana's journey through life and art, and the quest to hold on to your artistic longings despite the challenges of life. Sabina Wohlfeiler did a lovely job writing this one.
Somehow I never did post this, but it's never too late to share good news! Eddy Shuldman's magnificent Torah Breastplate has found a permanent home... in Oslo, Norway!
Leslie Elder writes:
When I'm in the middle of a project, I'm happy. I can always pick it up and start working where I left off. But when I'm trying to figure out the logistics of my next project, I'm sort of frustrated. I long to be working with the needle, but I'm not at that point yet. And for some reason, I can't rush the planning stage. Sometimes it comes easily; this time it isn't! Sometimes I just pick up the needle and hold it, to feel that reassuring familiarity. Maybe I'll go play with my beads.
A recent discussion about finding one's lost 'Mojo' led to the suggestion: DO something! Go to the beach, visit an antique store, do some gardening. You know... take time from your output to get some input.
There are so many good artists out there! And it's not such an easy task to judge who's ready to be in an art show. That's why we seek art professionals to serve on the independent jury for our CELEBRATION OF ART show and sale.
We are pleased to announce that our 4th annual pre-holiday sale, A Celebration of Art! will be held at the MJCC on Sunday, October 25, 2009.
It's time for the annual Chair Affair! This fabulous event encourages artistic creativity while raising critically needed money for the Community Warehouse.
Thank-you to everyone who came to see our exhibit at MJCC last week, celebrating Jewish Art Week. We received a lot of positive feedback, and really appreciate everyone who took the time to visit and to respond!
Last Friday I went to the reception for the opening of Leslie Elder's exhibit at The Stafford in Lake Oswego. She and another doctor are exhibiting their paintings on the walls of this beautiful retirement facility.
Portland will be celebrating Jewish Art Week for the first time!
The watercolor paintings of our own Leslie Elder will be on display for a month at The Stafford, a retirement community in Lake Oswego. 
This past Yom Kippur, I ventured out of my familiar little world, and attended services at Portland's Renewal congregation, P'nai Or. It was an amazing experience, full of music and meaning and heartfelt confessions. And they did this incredible thing with Unetaneh Tokef, intertwined with Leonard Cohen's song, "Who By Fire."
From Eddy Shuldman:It seems like the logical question to ask this time of the year:
What is your "art" resolution for the new year?
I'll tell you mine if you tell us yours!
How many artists struggle with trying to get great photos of their art work?
Addresses, directions and details will be provided after registration.
We hope to see you there!
Sharon Segal writes:
Leslie Elder writes:
Laurie writes:
Eddy Shuldman writes:Schools are closed today so I got to stay home and take care of some chores. Sorting through a file drawer of old papers kept my attention just so long.....TIME to play with glass.
I finished up the letters for a Challah plate commission and headed out to the shed where I keep the kilns.
The temperature out back was 25 degrees. You won't believe this, but that's too cold start the kiln! Too funny!
Although the kiln will top out at 1450 degrees F in about 5 hours, I actually had to bring out a small space heater to preheat the controller so I could fire up the kiln!
The snow continues to fall and I have a choice....clean out another drawer or play with more glass ....hmmmmmmmmmmm...........
Oh... and here's the view looking out from my shed.
Rosana writes:In the last few weeks, I have been thinking that the time has come to take the plunge.
I have decided to make the effort and take care of all the details to apply to be juried for the bigger art shows. I will apply to the Lake Oswego Art Festival and for the Salem Art Festival. I know that they are huge and I also know that this is a challenge, but sometimes being scared and waiting for something to happen, it doesn't help us to really move forward. And I do want to move forward, whether I get accepted by the jury or not. I've got to try... if not, I will never know, right?
Sabina writes:
Gershon's cousin came to visit last week. After recently losing her husband of 60 years, she is determined to live her remaining years to the fullest. She is a painter, and sees everything around her in terms of "art." It was great fun to share in her enjoyment of Portland and Multnomah Falls, and it was amazing to watch her navigating her new-found discovery: the internet.
Some of our artists will be selling their work at Hadassah's annual Holiday Gift Fair this Sunday. Please come by, say hello, and maybe buy some nice Hannukah gifts!
We join the world's Jewish community in mourning the tragic loss of Rabbi Gavriel & Rivka Holtzberg in Mumbai, India.
Earlier I wrote about my struggles with a Holocaust memorial piece, and here it is, reflected in a mirror. It depicts barbed wire, the yellow star of the Jewish ghetto, bloodshed, and the word YIZKOR, or memorial.
It seems we never posted the update on the CHAIRS that our members created for the Chair Affair this past spring. Each chair now has its very own page on the website of the Community Warehouse. Take a look... you'll see pix of our own wonderful artists and their chair creations, as well as a blurb on each one. (And an extra bonus: photos are by our Neveh Shalom Rebbetzin, Carol Isaak.) Months later, I'm still kvelling....
And the displays! People were really touched by the table featuring the work of artists from Rose Schnitzer Manor. And everywhere you turned were beautiful displays of beautiful art. The booths in the middle of the room were so dramatic, and all around were first-time exhibitors interspersed with seasoned pros, each tempting and rewarding to visit.
Our show is tomorrow. After months of hustle and bustle, meetings, computers, e-mails, errands and phone calls, there is now an amazing quiet between us. It's up to each of us individually now, getting our own work done, planning our displays, perhaps panicking a little bit privately. Yom Kippur imposed a mandatory stop on all fretting and activity, and now we each have a very finite period of time to get it all finalized.
Our wonderful painter Leslie Elder let it slip that her watercolor painting
I'm in a fight-to-the-finish struggle with my latest beading project. It became apparent early in the process that this one would be a test. First, the thread kept breaking and tangling. Then, one of the beads broke, which meant I had to re-do a whole section of the project. It was tempting to give up at that point. But I've come to recognize that this is a challenge to my determination. And I am VERY determined: this project will be completed, and it will be exhibited. So I bit the bullet, and re-did that whole section.
We've got a lovely article in this week's Jewish Review, all about our upcoming Celebration of Art, and the journey which has led us to holding it at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center. The Review was very generous with their space for us this year, and even included 4 color pictures! We're tickled pink - and blue and green and yellow and....
Eddy Shuldman writes:A little over a week ago I completed my largest commission to date. In late May a friend asked me to make 20 blue wedding bowls that could be used as table centerpieces for her daughter’s wedding. The bowls are 15” in diameter and have the Hebrew word for love “Ahavah” in the center using dichroic glass letters. Her plan was to fill them with water and float candles in them. It became clear that given the size of my kiln and owning only one large bowl mold, I’d have to make a second shaped vessel and we agreed on an 11” square origami dish.
Then I broke my leg! I had plans to go to Europe and so I went. Upon my return I moved into production mode although my leg created a few obstacles in the process.
So what did I learn?
• It is possible to travel in Europe on crutches!
• Crutches force one to become more creative
• I am no longer excited by blue glass. I’m sure that will pass!
• Production work is NOT what I want to do.
• Variations on a theme allow you some sanity and provoke creativity.
• Mass production requires planning, organization and a commitment to get the job done.
• It probably sounds a little “woo-woo” but the glass really seems to flow when I stay focused on the spiritual side of my work. I think about the recipient, I try to “feel” the movement in the glass and suddenly the work just “comes.”
Best of all, I learned how to apply this last skill to being more efficient and economical in my work as I now prepare for our Celebration of Art show in October.
Oh yeah....and no more more crutches!!!!!! yay!
--
Eddy Shuldman
SPARKS OF SPIRIT Glass
www.northwestjewishartists.org/eddy.html
Tell the truth: when Laurie said she's working on Fabric Vases, didn't you wonder what in the world that was? Well, she revealed them yesterday! Check this out... it's so beautiful! And you put a jar of water inside for the flowers. How cool is that??
Then the ORA women piled into Eddy's van, and headed over to Art In The Pearl. We weren't there to shop, but just to look. It was fun to analyze how various artists had set up their displays, and also to watch the reactions of the crowds to some of them. Of course, I tend to reach overload pretty quickly, but still got some good ideas. And they have a full weekend of live music there too. I even got to listen to some Balkan music... have I ever mentioned how much I like Balkan music?
When we complete a significant project or process, we often say the "Shehechiyanu" blessing. But we don't really have a prayer for beginning the project. There's a prayer for a safe journey, but it really doesn't fit. I asked a Rabbi friend, who suggested that one might say their own prayer, and/or make a charitable donation to coincide with starting a project.
My co-blogger-on-leave, Lynn Dorman, thought it was funny that I was blogging at 1:00 am. I explained that I love to get work done at that hour, including my beadwork. There are no distractions from phone, TV, kids, dogs, doorbell, etc., so I can actually concentrate. It's the only time I can even begin to create web pages!
P-s-s-s-s-s-t-t-t-t-t! I got a sneak peek today at the Tallit that Diane is making for her daughter's Bat Mitzvah. My, my my..... this woman has a way with silk! It's NOT the one shown here, but this one's cool too.
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You asked what I've been up to.... I had a commission to make a tallit 6 feet long and 4-1/2 feet wide. I was up for the challenge because I figure that whatever G-d sends my way, is not more then I can handle. I tried to make it and failed two times. I went through loads of silk and a lot of stress mixed with a lack of self confidence which is something I tend to struggle with from time to time. 
Several members of our group had the honor of attending the art exhibit today at Rose Schnitzer Manor. As part of their 10th Anniversary celebration, they staged an amazing display of artwork done by resident artists. There was also work by some of the wonderful volunteers, and a separate exhibit of work by various local artists, depicting residents and activities at RSM.
Our members don't stay still for long!
At last it can be revealed.... our upcoming CELEBRATION OF ART will be held at.... drumroll please.... Mittleman JCC!! The beautiful Ballroom of MJCC will be the setting for this year's ORA art show, featuring our own members, plus over 15 guest artists!
Rosana is taking a class this month called "Alternative Supports and Surfaces for Collage." This class will teach how to create more three-dimensional pieces using other backgrounds as supports. Can't wait to see what cool new things Rosana creates after this class!
I've been waiting to update the home page of our ORA website, until we had our new member roster set in May. I thought we would be adding some new members. But actually, it worked out differently. A few people are taking a leave, and we're putting off new memberships until after the October show. So for the moment, there are only 9 full-fledged members. But I have all these cool pages I worked so hard on for the departing members, and I hate to waste them. So I came up with the idea of starting an Alumni page! This way, we still have access to those people's pages.
"I would highly recommend working with live models to all painters. I go to Multnomah Art Center because they have sessions during the day on weekdays, which are good for me. Many of the classes there are more on the beginners level. Other studios that I have heard are good are: Hipbone Studios, as well as PNCA which has open studio sessions. The contact number for the sessions at PNCA is 503-659-4261."
ORA is inviting Northwest Jewish guest artists to participate in our 'CELEBRATION OF ART' show this fall. Artists will be juried to select up to 15 guests to join us in this special show.
I am taking a leave from ORA this year and I am not sure how much of the blogging I will do as I won't be at meetings or the show/sales.
Exciting things are brewing at ORA! Maybe a new venue for our big show this fall, and... guest artists!!! So far it's a big secret, but stay tuned right here.. check back often to see the big news!
Our website has a new page, full of beautiful pictures from our recent Exodus and Miriam exhibits. Take a look, and drop a note to your favorite artists with your comments!
Working with a theme was a recent challenge for our artists. We agreed to work on "Miriam" for the Women's Day of Jewish Learning. And since our exhibit at the Oregon Jewish Museum was just a few weeks before that, we chose a related theme.... "Exodus: Our Journeys."
What's New? Well, Sharon, Sabina, Leslie, Lynn, Laurie, Eddy & Rosana all have newly updated pages on our website. Take a look! (Click on link below.)
Now you can find the work of our bead artist, Esther Liberman, available for sale at AFIKOMEN Jewish bookstore & gift shop in Berkeley, California.
On Sunday, March 9th, the Women's Day of Jewish Learning will take place at Mittelman Jewish Community Center. A day of classes, workshops, and fellowship, this year's theme is the prophetess MIRIAM. Joining this year's event will be a new exhibit by ORA: Northwest Jewish Artists, featuring works of art exploring the many sides of Miriam's story and continuing influence.
Today's Oregonian has an article about the Oregon Jewish Museum [see article HERE] in which ORA artists were mentioned as one of their recent shows.
Perfect for a "little princess wanna-be," this beautiful chair once looked like this.
The fountain is called "Waters of Life". It pumps 66 gallons of water an hour.
Eddy writes:
Our First Thursday opening night was a huge success. A steady crowd arrived between 5-8pm and at 8:15 , with sadness, we announced that the museum really needed to close.
Diane, Robin and Laurie are designing a chair for The Chair Affair Benefit for The Community Warehouse.
"I have done every kind of needle work imaginable," she says, "but I keep coming back to the beads. They just speak to me; they always have. The dance of various cultures is best accentuated by beaded costumes, and the music by beaded gourds!"
Liberman loves to explore the possibilities presented by mixing traditional forms with modern materials and aesthetics. Tribal African beads shine in modern jewelry, while ancient Hebrew texts are revisited with computer-produced beads.
More photos of this event will be published on our website. That site [see link at left: ORA website] is also a way to contact each of the artists and/or look at some of their work.
