Miriam's Well – Embrace the Possibilities

I'm very pleased to share with you a photo of my latest completed papercut — "Miriam's Well"— a commission celebrating and honoring the outgoing president at my synagogue, Temple Ahavat Shalom. It measures 26" x 40" and, as usual, features cut-up comics.

While the Jewish people wandered through the wilderness they were accompanied by a wondrous well which would provide water for them at every resting-place. God created this well for the sustenance of the Israelites in recognition of the merits of Miriam, which is how it gets its name. The well followed them on all their wanderings — and wherever they halted, it halted, too, settling in position opposite the Tabernacle. The leaders of the twelve tribes would appear and chant to it, “Spring up, o well,” and water would gush forth from its depths, and shoot up high as pillars, then discharge itself into great streams. These streams demarcated areas for each of the twelve tribes to camp in, and were so powerful that people were obliged to make use of ships to visit one another. The water led beyond the encampments, where it caused to grow every conceivable kind of plant and tree; and these trees, owing to the miraculous water, daily bore fresh fruits.

This president has dedicated her time a similar nurturing of the synagogue community (as well as the larger community), welling forth with tikkun olam and justice. Her leadership has sustained this community, and helped to create an environment in which everyone can “embrace the possibilities.”

The water of the well is backed with cut-up comic books featuring famed female comic book leaders and heroes, notably Supergirl, Wonder Woman, and Batgirl. Within the swirls of color can be found speech bubbles that reflect on her presidency and her dedication to helping others.

The well is represented by the hint of a Torah scroll from a synagogue brochure, while the twelve spaces surrounding the well represent the twelve tribes, and are backed with cut-up temple materials. Above and below the well and the tribes are desert landscapes created from cut-up comics and photographic imagery of the desert in which the Israelites wandered.

Online bidding now open for "Spring Comes to Santa Clarita"

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I created a papercut titled "Spring Comes to Santa Clarita" for the Albert Einstein Academy 2013 silent auction, which raises money for the school. It's now available for online bidding – click here for more information or to place a bid.

This landscape is typical of the Mediterranean-style climate in Santa Clarita, featuring rolling hills covered with flora and scrub in a variety of colors and patterns. And of course, it's backed with cut-up comic books.

Spring Comes to Santa Clarita
20" x 10"
Mixed media
2013

Herzl

"Herzl" is a papercut I made based on a photograph of Theodore Herzl at the First Zionist Congress in 1897, in Basel, Switzerland. This piece takes on more significance for me now as my family is planning a trip to Israel.

However, it seems that not many people are as familiar with the original photograph as I am – which is fine; it's a touchstone for me, but not for everybody. So I thought it would be useful to present the original photo alongside my portrait, for those who are interested.

My portrait is made with cut-up Green Lantern comics – because Herzl is known for the words, "Im tirtzu, ein zo agada" – "If you will it, it is no dream." And of course, Green Lantern's ring is powered by willpower.

You can still see it live at "You did WHAT to my comics?!?",  now showing at Brave New World Comics in Newhall, California (details here). A color catalog of all works on display is available for download as a PDF here – and though many of them have sold, there are a few works still available for purchase.

"Number Theory"

I'm pleased to be donating a papercut to ANOTHER fundraising auction happening tomorrow – this one being held at Brave New World Comics on Free Comic Book Day (tomorrow, May the Fourth) to support the Newhall Public Library!

"Number Theory" is built on a structure of the ten basic Hindu-Arabic numerals (0123456789), and it's about the power of individuals working together. Each person has their particular strengths and skills and backgrounds, and they become magnified by the presence of others. We can all be heroes, and so the background texture for the cut is a collection of superheroes, representing the strength of diversity.

Interested in bidding? You do NOT have to be present to bid; just call the shop at 661 259 4745!

Number Theory
10" x 18"
Mixed media

Spring Comes to Santa Clarita

This papercut is titled, "Spring Comes to Santa Clarita" – I made it for the Albert Einstein Academy  auction being held this Saturday night, May 4; proceeds go to support this local charter school. I modeled it on the rolling hills along Newhall Ranch Road out here in Santa Clarita, with rolling hills covered with flora and scrub in a variety of colors and patterns.

Spring Comes to Santa Clarita
20" x 10"
Mixed media
2013

Art and tacos!

Join me this Wednesday for art and tacos at Brave New World Comics!

The Door is Always Open

Last night my wife and I attended the opening of Gary Baseman's exhibition, "The Door is Always Open," at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

Wow.

I've been following what he's been doing for years, having been first introduced to his work when his was primarily doing commercial illustration for hire, and I've been consistently amazed by what he's done over the years.

This show "explores the influences of Baseman’s Jewish family heritage and American popular culture on his exuberant, boundary-defying art" and centers around his childhood home, which he recreated in the exhibit space by bringing in furniture and furnishings from his parents' home – as well as countless family photos and other items. The result? It's Gary Baseman's upbringing, in three dimensions: we see the dinner table set for Shabbat, featuring his little Magi figurines; we look at photos of his family's Passover seders and his bar mitzvah next to paintings of his "magical gefilte fish" and other contemporary subjects; we sit on his old velvety couch underneath a chandelier he fashioned in the shape of his "happy idiot" snowman.

 So yeah, there's a lot to see – and I highly recommend it to anyone who's able to come.

But what I really wanted to write about was how inspiring it is to see an artist like Gary Baseman embracing his tradition and upbringing, and seeing it come through so strongly in his work. The characters, the imagery, the themes and the stories all have roots in the his family history – and the history of the Jewish people. Girl wearing tefillin? Check.

 

My work is, of course, heavily influenced by my Judaism, so I am particularly affected when I see someone else drawing from the same well to create work that is so unique, so beautiful, so affecting... so powerful.

The night ended with a dedication of the "house" – complete with a custom mezuzah which he designed. How's that for a pervasive pop culture art happening in La La Land? The most well-attended mezuzah hanging I've ever been to.

 Mazal tov, Gary – and yasher koach.

The secret of "The Golem"

Here's how to spot the "secret" Hebrew letters in my papercut, "The Golem" (if you've come here by QR code, welcome aboard!):

See it live at "You did WHAT to my comics?!?" (details here).
A color catalog of all works on display is available for download as a PDF here.