Remember the American Guild of Judaic Art’s Mentor Program I posted about a while back? Today we have a guest post from Flora Rosefsky, a mentor in the program. I’ve long admired Flora’s work so I’m excited to have her perspective in the Mitzvot Unplugged series. Her work is fun and vibrant, as you can see from the works included in this post.
Flora Rosefsky, SABBATH BRIDE QUEEN, collage: paper cutout and mixed materials, © Flora Rosefsky
Overview
We started our mentoring program this past November, 2013 and have been meeting about once a month, usually a Sunday evening, 8pm EST. I live in Atlanta, Georgia. After some discussion to learn what Adam is interested in, I give him an “art assignment” to complete for the following session. He scans the completed work a few days before we meet when a thoughtful critique takes place. Adam is a mature 7th grader, very focused, and enthusiastic about the mentoring program, where he can have a one on one educational experience with a professional teaching artist. This supplements his ongoing visual arts education in school as well as his natural interest in drawing, which he enjoys on his own.
After his Bar Mitzvah, he will be creating a mixed media work expressing a theme from his Parashat Hashavua. A theme he thought he’d like to explore might be “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself”. It is really a delight to be Adam’s mentor this year.
Titles of themes of Adam’s work:
Adam Harris, TREE OF LIFE, paper cutout collage (Polish method of symmetry using folded paper) © Adam Harris
Harris, Adam, UNTITLED – PASSOVER SYMBOLIC PLATE – Harris Family Traditions, Mixed Media (paper cutout and drawing) © Adam Harris
Adam Harris, SHALOM: Peace, paper cutout with drawing © Adam Harris
To Join the Mentor Program
The mentoring program has rolling admissions and a few more openings. To learn more contact the American Guild of Judaic Art.
Flora Rosefsky, TIKKUN OLAM and NEILAH (two paper cutout collage works in the “RITUAL SERIES”., © Flora Rosefsky
Flora Rosefsky, LIFE CHAPTER 5 (one in a ” LIFE CHAPTERS Suite of 7: A Visual Autobiography” (My life at the age of 5.)collage, paper cutout and mixed materials, © Flora Rosefsky
To see more of Flora’s work please visit her website.
According to Larry Schloss, Mentor Program Founder and Director, The mentor program is currently underway and includes as mentors, Judaic artists Shoshanna Brombacher, Michael Bagdanow, Karen Dresser, Flora Rosefsky, Reeva Schaffer, Karin Shain Schloss, and Jeanel Vogel. The students live in California, El Paso, Texas, New Jersey, and Portland, Oregon. The students participating are delightful kids who are passionate about art in general, and Judaic art in particular.
Flora designed the windows for our sanctuary and chapel at Temple Kehillat Chaim in Roswell, GA. She also designed the Torah covers as well as a High Holy Day Torah Table cover. I was also fortunate to work with her on several community quilt projects which are on display around the city of Atlanta. The first quilt was her initial attempt at quilt design. It was such a wonderful effort!
Flora is an incredibly talented woman, plus she is so generous in sharing her expertise with adults and children!
Thanks for sharing! Were the quilt projects through the Pomegranate Guild?
[…] This is an addendum to Flora Rosefsky’s post about mentoring in the American Guild of Judaic Art. […]
I believe the first quilt predated the Pomegranate (Peach State Stichers) Guild.
Thanks!
[…] We love sharing programs that make use of the arts to teach values. For other examples see Using Papercuts to Teach Values, Kol HaOt- Illuminating Jewish Life through Art, and the A View from the American Guild of Judaic Art’s Mentor Program. […]
[…] ways to celebrate Bar and Bat Mitzvah. Whether through special educational projects like the art mentorship and tefillin project, or through learning programs for Bnai Mitzvah. But we have a particular […]