Abandoning a good habit is not easy to undo, especially one that is as tentative and newly formed as my art journal blog. I stopping blogging when I was away on a couple of trips and once I returned, I could not get myself to start writing on the computer again. Hopefully I'm back now, at least for a couple of days until my family vacation begins in Lake Placid, New York.
Tonight I want to present some of my artwork based on the theme of Jewish Community. My original motivation for these two pieces was the need for Bar and Bat Mitzvah cards. I felt I was always running to the store for cards and rarely finding one I liked, so I decided to design my own and have a supply on hand. I've always appreciated the art deco designed posters and tiles from the 20's and 30's and so decided to use a variation of this style as inspiration. My goal was to simplify the forms and use flat planes of color in harmonious hues. I couldn't resist adding a little texture as well. I'm pretty happy with the results and hope to do more. Right now I working on a Tu B'Shevat (New Year for Trees) design from a drawing I've had in my sketchbook for ten years.
Included with these designs are two of my favorite passages from Jewish prayer books. The front of the cards have abbreviated versions in Hebrew and the backs have an extended version in English. The passages are "Holy, holy, holy, the whole earth is filled with God's glory" and "It is a Tree of Life, it's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all it's paths are peace."
"Tree of Life" copyright Barbara Levine 2008
"Sacred Blossoms" copyright Barbara Levine 2008
1 comment:
What a great idea! And these are both beautiful designs. I bet people love getting a card that you made youself.
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