Category: Galleries And Artists

In an artists’ community that was once limited to painters, sculptors have had a difficult time finding a niche in Tzfat’s Artists’ Quarter. Moshe Ziffer was, for the formative years of the Artists Colony, the only sculptor. He created figurative sculptures which today not only adorn historic and educational sites throughout Israel, but also make up the beautiful Ziffer Garden of Tzfat, the garden of the house where he worked and exhibited during the heyday of the Artists Quarter in the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

During his working career in Tzfat, Ziffer became a teacher and mentor to several new young sculptors, among them, Haim Azuz. Azuz was born in Turkey and began sculpting at age 14, slowly teaching himself the techniques of bronze and aluminum sculpting. When Azuz arrived in Tzfat in 1971, he came to the attention of Ziffer, who guided and mentored Azuz as he began to refine his technique and develop the flowing style for which he is known today.

Haim Azuz’s gallery sits in a small corner of the Artists Colony, on Tet Vav Street, directly across from the Ma’ayan HaRadum public square. It is not an easy gallery to find, or a particularly commercial one – visitors generally search out the Azuz gallery because of the reputation of the artist, or wander in because it’s off the beaten path away from Tzfat’s “Gallery Row“. In the Azuz gallery they know that they’ll be able to view unique and tasteful art in a non-pressured environment. In fact, one of the delights of a visit to Azuz’s gallery, visitors note, is that he allows visitors to wander around and enjoy his sculptures, explains the sculptures when asked, and never pressures any

one to buy anything.

Tzfat Landmarks

Haim Azuz’s sculptures are featured in many of Tzfat’s public spaces, where they are available for Tzfat residents to see and enjoy. “The Flower”, a 16-foot bronze sculpture, is probably one of Tzfat’s best-known, as it sits outside of the Tzfat Cultural Center, Beit Yigal Alon. Generations of Tzfat residents have viewed and admired this piece, most never knowing much about the artist, but recognizing that its presence strengthens the reputation of Tzfat as a city where art is appreciated and understood.

In addition to The Flower, Tzfat’s General Artists’ Exhibition features an aluminum sculpture of Azuz’s, The Burning Bush. Aside from this piece, inspired by the Biblical story of Moses speaking to God at the Burning Bush, most of Azuz’s works are not particularly Jewish nor Biblical. He explores the human figure in such works as The Torso, Love, The Dancer, and Belly Dance, and human emotions in works like Consolation, Reflective Ness and The Dream.

Perhaps, however, the Azuz sculpture that most people enjoy sits at the entrance to the General Exhibition of the Artists Quarter. Titled “Adam and Eve” it shows two figures standing back-to-back, heads hung in desolation, with a half-eaten apple between them. For some reason, the message in this sculpture speaks to all.

Haim Azuz’s gallery sits in a small corner of the Artists Colony, on Tet Vav Street, directly across from the Ma’ayan HaRadum public square.

One doesn’t have to be told that Sheva Chaya Shaiman grew up in Denver – it seems obvious when looking at the expansive and rich art in her Dreams and Visions Gallery in the Artists Quarter of Tzfat, which evoke thoughts of the wide open mountains of Colorado.

Sheva Chaya came to Israel in 1997, and spent her first years in Israel developing her unique style of painting. Sheva Chaya was an art history and visual art major at Princeton, and her art has continued to expand and grow since her arrival in Israel as she integrates the rich spiritual teachings of Judaism and Hassidic philosophy into her artwork.

Glassblowing Judaica

One art form that Sheva Chaya is exploring is that of glass-blowing. This does not seem surprising, considering that may of her paintings seem similar to the clear clean lines and shapes of glass. Her gallery, The Dreams and Visions Gallery of Tzfat, is full of blown glass shapes. One can see here how Sheva Chaya’s inspiration is drawn from Jewish traditions and study – there are mezuzza covers (the covers of the scroll of parchment that Jews place on their doorposts), graggers (noisemakers used on the holiday of Purim to make noise and drown out the name of the arch-villain, Haman), Chai (“Life”) pendants, menorah (candelabra) pendants and Eternal Light cove

rings for synagogue use.

Sheva Chaya’s glasswork, as well as her paintings, evokes the mysticism and magical atmosphere of Tzfat. The colors are soft, yet vibrant, and she incorporates blues and violets into almost all her works – colors which are closely connected to Tzfat, as so much of the Old City of Tzfat is colored in hues of blue. Kabbalistic symbols and Hebrew letters are also woven into her works, an addition that binds her art to her deep commitment to Judaism and her Hassidic community.

One especially poignant series, “How Zayde (Grandfather) Came to Eretz Yisrael” tells the story of one elderly man’s aliyah (immigration) to Israel. In paintings titled “Dancing in Simcha (Happiness)”, “Oy Vey”, “Kiddush (Blessing over the Wine)”, “Hard to Move”, “Love Pull” and “Heartstrings” she is able to convey the ups and downs of life and the religious and spiritual highs balanced against the day to day struggles of one’s decision to move to Israel.

Sheva’s Chaya’s gallery is quite large, enabling her to invite groups in for presentations on Jewish women’s expression, landscapes of the Land of Israel and Hasidic teachings. Many groups take advantage of the presentations which Sheva Chaya gives, and more than one visitor has noted that their visit to her Dreams and Visions Gallery was the high point of their Israel visit.

One of Tzfat’s most active young artists is Reli Wasser, who is quickly developing a name for herself not only for her own

artwork, but for her activism in reviving the Artists’ Quarter in Tzfat and creating a vibrant and energetic atmosphere among the artists’ community that encourages other young artists to make their homes and galleries in Tzfat.

Reli’s mixes her techniques with mosaics. She uses a large variety of materials in her artwork, which is divided into two areas. The first of these areas is fine art, mostly painting, where Reli can express her feelings about different subjects and the belief that “Idea” is the main cause for Creation. The second area of interest for Reli is mosaics, which she terms “creating with love”. Reli’s mosaics are created with a variety of materials, including stones, glass, metal, wood and various recycled materials. They explore such themes as Judaism and Israel as well as women’s issues and social and political topics. In addition to her art pieces, Reli’s mosaic jewelry, often with Jewish and Kabbalistic meanings, are some of the most creative jewelry exhibited in Tzfat.

Reli’s gallery in the General Exhibition of the Artists Quarter reflects these two directions of her artwork. Her “Ketuba’s Angle” is a stunning rendition of a real Ketuba, a wedding contract, decorated by a mosaic outline and “framed” under the Hebrew letter “Chet”, the first letter of the word “Chuppa“, or wedding canopy. A second work, “Splashes of Ruling” utilizes two old Roman silver coins, one which depicts the helmeted head of the goddess Rome and the second showing the helmeted head of the god Mars. Surrounded by her mosaic interpretation of how these coins represent gods, soldiers, workers, and the rulers and the ruled, Reli has created a work whose message is as timeless as these newly found coins are.

In addition to her own artwork and gallery, Reli has exhibited extensively throughout Israel. A particular interest of hers is creating exhibits whereby a group of artists explore a certain theme, each in his or her own way. In galleries and museums from Israel’s north to the south, Reli has served as curator of exhibits on a wide variety of subjects and issues, including “He and She”, “The Olive”, “The Many Faces of Kiryat Shmoneh”, “The Yellow Star”, “Bravery and Miracles” and more.

Art as a Message

Reli doesn’t shy away from tackling controversial issues either, and she often works on art projects whose aim is to send a strong message.  An example of a recent work is a statue of cans from a local canning factory which was in danger of closing, creating a tremendous loss of jobs in the region.  Reli mobilized local residents, workers and children from the area to build a statue from the factory’s cans, directing attention to the plight of the workers.  Plans to close the factory were shortly thereafter put on hold.

For many years, the Artists Association of Tzfat has struggled to attract new young artists. With Reli inspiring and striving for continued growth and change, the future of the Artists Community in Tzfat seems bright.

Every town has educational programs

and institutions. And probably every town of any notable size  has carp

entry shops.  But Tzfat’s Noah Greenberg has found a way to combine the two.

The Shtender

A Shtender, a stand in Yiddish, is used when praying and studying. It is generally a simple wooden lectern with a top that slants so that a book can lean, facing the reader, to make it easier to read. Synagogues and study halls often have one shtender for each man.

Almost 30 years ago, partners David Moss and Noah Greenberg began to think the Shtender; how it represented two pillars of Jewish life, prayer and study, but seemed to lack the third aspect; physical acts of observance. Their challenge was to unite those various aspects in a comprehensive work of art. Their Shtender would incorporate all the objects that would represent Judaism’s major holidays, life-cycle events and religious commandments – each object would nest neatly into the shtender, to be taken out at the appropriate time. These objects include a tefillin box (box for phylacteries), tzedakah (charity) box, etrog (citron) box for the Succoth holiday, Seder plate for Passover, Challah board for the Sabbath bread, Kiddush (sacramental wine) set, and candlesticks for the Sabbath lights. Each object is carved with designs in the motif of the plants and trees of the Land of Israel, including the Seven Species of the Land.

Noah and David worked together to conceptualize the Tree of Life Shtender, and Noah, in his Tzfat workshop, has crafted and carved the pieces. The actual production of the shtender is done outside of Israel, but Noah travels to the workshops frequently to insure the quality of these complicated reproductions. The Shtenders are being produced slowly in a numbered limited edition. Each object in each shtender requires the expertise of different artisans from throughout the world. The Shtenders are purchased by private individuals, synagogues, museums and educational institutions. In the home, most of the Shtenders are in actual use; their owners use the objects in their personal observance of the various traditions. The institutionally owned Shtender are primarily being used for educational and inspirational purposes: the exquisite and carefully researched and designed objects are a springboard to revealing and studying the treasure chest of Judaism and the Torah.

The name of the project, the Tree of Life Shtender, reflects the motif of the Land of Israel’s plants and trees in the Shtender’s objects’ carvings, but also the message which the Shtender is meant to convey – that the Torah is the Tree of Life of the Jewish people, and observance of the mitzvoth, the commandments, of the Torah is what keeps the Jewish people alive.

New Projects

As the Shtender project became recognized as an important educational tool for Jewish education, Noah became more and more involved in developing educational activities which stress experiential Judaism. He travels around the world teaching and inspiring, using the Shtender catalyze each viewer’s journey of Jewish exploration. He has also has developed other educational projects. One is Kesher Tefillin, Tefillin Connection, an exciting workshop where youngsters become familiar with the commandment of Tefillin by actually creating their own set using a unique method that Noah developed. A second new art project teaches the mitzvah (commandment) of Hachnasat Orchim, Welcoming Guests.

Noah continues to create beautiful Judaica in his carpentry workshop, accepting private commissions for wooden art pieces and religious artifacts, which are created by commission for synagogues, museums and private collectors.

Noah Greenberg can be reached at bezalel@kinneret.co.il or 972-4-697-1111.

When Daniel Flatauer arrived in Israel on his way to Japan more than 30 years ago, he had considered the possibility of staying. It was simply part of the travel adventure that he was enjoying. He had studied Education and Developmental Psychology at a university in England and taught for two years in an East Anglia primary school. But after a 2-year apprenticeship to a potter in East Anglia, he decided that Japan would be his next stop, and that he would stop in Israel on his way to see some family.

Daniel never left Israel. His stopover visit turned into aliyah, immigration, and he soon married.  The young couple came to Tzfat, Helen, his wife, as a social worker, and Daniel with plans to open a ceramics workshop. Daniel found in the clay itself a teacher who has guided him as he has developed his craft, and his shop has become a favorite stop for many visitors who seek him out as they explore the art of Tzfat.

Ceramic Judaica

As time has passed, Daniel has begun to explore the opportunities for creating stoneware and porcelain

Judaica. Kiddush cups, (cups for ceremonial wine blessings), Seder plates (used for the Passover meal), candlesticks, ritual washing cups and menorahs (Chanukah candelabras – “the most challenging of forms” Daniel says) are available at Daniel’s shop which borders the Old Jewish Quarter, next to the Artists Quarter, and directly around the corner from the General Exhibition of the Artists Quarter.

“In Tsfat” says Daniel, “there’s a fine balance between peace and quiet and time to produce work, and invariably interesting customers (local and from all over the world) for whom the pottery they buy is a reminder of their Tsfat experience.”

Daniel’s work includes much introspection about Jewish/clay issues. “Why does God choose clay to make Adam?” he asks. “What does it mean to be ‘clay in the hands of the potter’”, a well-known biblical phrase. ‘How exactly do you give birth on a potter’s wheel? [mentioned at the beginning of Exodus]”

Daniel explains. “When you work with clay, every piece contains an aspect of you. Looking at my work, I see both England and Israel [and Japan],the influence of many other admired potters and teachers, friends, parents, students and customers. It seems to me that function, usefulness is the key- we learn something new, embody it in a shape, a glaze, a firing technique, and then pass it on- by selling it- to become part of someone else’s story.”

Daniel continues to explore different directions that his work will take him. In the meantime, Daniel enjoys blogging about his work, and the forms, techniques, changes and inner rhythm of creating his special pottery in Tzfat.

Coming as a volunteer to Israel during and after the 1967 Six-Day War, Yonatan Darmon decided that his future was in Isr

ael. Born and raised in Toulouse France, Yonatan had studied sculpture in one of France’s foremost Art Schools, but there was no certainty that he would be able to make a living as an artist in Israel. Yet, in 1970, he came to Israel, ready to do whatever he needed to do to make it his home.

Yonatan lived and worked on a kibbutz for 5 years, but continued to study sculpture in the artists’ village of Ein Hod. When he moved to Haifa, he studied at the University of Haifa, and was then hired by the university to teach in their art school. His career was flourishing and secure, yet he was still searching for a community in which he could work and exhibit his art.

A relationship with the Tzfat sculptor Moshe Ziffer gave Yonatan and his wife, Vedad, the idea to explore the idea of joining the Artists Association of Tzfat. This community developed in the 1950s, when the Artists Quarter of Tzfat was founded, and beca

me the first collective of artists in Israel.  Some of Israel’s finest and best-known artists were members. Yonatan and Vedad bought a small house in the quarter, and Yonatan has developed his sculpture, and his gallery, throughout the years.

A Labor of Love

Yonatan has developed a system of creating his sculptures that has carried him for many years. Each year, he decides on a theme for that year. (Some recent themes have been: Strong Women, Motherhood and Couplehood). He starts out by doing a number of sketches of the kind of sculpture that he would like to produce. As time develops, he begins to work with clay, molding it repeatedly as he tries to create the form that will represent this theme. When he is satisfied with the form, he casts it in plaster of paris, and then puts it aside for several weeks. He later comes back to it with a new eye, able to see the blemishes and mistakes that he can correct. When he is satisfied with its final shape, he has it cast in bronze in several different sizes. Though if he decides that it does not meet his expectations, he throws the work out and starts from scratch.

Yonatan has served on the Central Committee of the Tzfat Artists Association for ten years, and headed it for four. His works are on permanent display in galleries throughout the world, and are included in many private collections. He can be contacted at darmongallery@yahoo.com

Inspiration from the Sources

 

Systems Analysts don’t usually open galleries in the Artists Quarter of Tzfat, but that’s what Canadian-native Myr

a Mandel did several years ago.

Myra made aliyah (came to live in Israel) after high school and studied Industrial Management Engineering at Haifa’s Technion. Her subsequent career in computers carried her through her first years of marriage while raising her children. But as time went on, she found herself drawn to a decidedly non-computer aspect of her talents – painting.

Myra paints in a style she calls “Contemporary Spiritual Art”. Her paintings incorporate verses from Psalms, prayers, words of the prophets and the Song of Songs, which are then combined with landscapes of the Galilee and the Judean desert, wild flowers and images of archeological elements. Her art speaks to a growing number of visitors who seek out her gallery to feel, through her vision, the atmosphere of Tzfat and Northern Israel and her love of Judaism. She expresses visually, as she explains, her personal emotional response to the text, be it the lyrical, expressive verses of King David, which express the yearning of man to connect with his Creator, or the poetic imagery of the later prophets as they spoke God’s message of redemption to the people.

Art From the Well

Myra’s gallery, Art From the Well, has a double meaning. The “Well” alludes to the Source, the verses and texts from Jewish sources that Myra weaves into her art. But the gallery really is a well – a cistern that she found when she and her husband bought their house in Tzfat. Although most of the year she lives with her family in a small community near Tel Aviv, she feels connected to Tzfat, where she is able to develop artistically. “The ancient city of Tzfat has a holiness that can be sensed in a way that is different than any other place in Israel” she says. “Tzfat is much more than just a collection of ancient buildings – it is full with an invisible presence: The air itself feels pure. As soon as I arrive in Tzfat, I feel a heightened sense of alertness and clarity of mind, a quiet energy that is specific to this place. I am constantly aware that these same cobblestone alleys were walked by our holy rabbis hundreds of years ago”

One day, Myra and her husband Joel would like to spend more time in Tzfat as her gallery develops. “I love to paint the landscape around Tzfat, the low hills cultivated with rows of olive trees and grape vines and the blue tinged Meron mountains in the distance” she says. Right now, Myra is looking into new forms of expression through collages composed of pieces of watercolor paper. She layers them with paints, lace and metal lettering, and pens and other colors.

It’s another system to be analyzed.

Myra no longer exhibits in Tzfat. Her work can be seen on her website.