Celebrating Freedom
At sunset tonight, the Jewish community honors a tradition of Passover dating back to 1400 BC. Passover is a celebration of Freedom, in remembrance of the Exodus when Moses at 80 years old led the Israelites from Egypt after 400 years of enslavement.
“On the eve of Passover 2021, I am honored to share a collection of special Judaic works, commissioned by Rabbi Moshe Chanowitz, Island Rabbi at Chabad, Sint Maarten who approached me in 2012 to create art which symbolizes Judaic-Caribbean history. This history also offered freedom to many who fled the Spanish Inquisition in 1492 and greatly supported the victory of George Washington in the American Revolution in 1776.
The world is still striving towards Freedom.”
”When Rabbi Moishe commissioned me to paint for the 1st annual Jewish Caribbean Festival in 2012, I was truly delighted to share time with him and his beautiful family so that I could render the lighting of the menorah into drawings and eventually this painting. It was a very moving moment when the Rabbi held his two young sons by his side with one hand and skillfully held the flame while kindling each of the wicks on the silver menorah. The light radiated on this gentle scene illuminating their faces against the dark of the room like halos.
I observed their union with each other in this Divine celebration of Eternal Light and watched a father teach his sons in the manner that they will eventually teach theirs, realizing that this is how this sacred ritual has survived thousands of years.”
“All of my work is done from life. The menorah still life paintings are rare examples of when I have painted live flame. The Rabbi wished a painting that would symbolize the union of Judaism in the Caribbean dating back to the 1400’s. I choose to include his woven personal prayer cloth as the backdrop, enveloping the scene in a mystical, almost surreal waves of light and dark. The Caribbean provisions evoke the colorful spirit of this region; the hurricane lamp is our light that has sustained us through many storms, as the menorah symbolizes the Light eternal of the Jewish faith. The illumination from the combination of these flames, in union, is reflected in every facet of this painting.”
“These charcoal drawings were rendered rapidly while observing the Rabbi light the menorah with his young sons. I held my breath in the quiet of those moments while the boys gazed into the flame, the littlest in his father’s lap, the other little figure standing by his father’s side, joyous in the halo of the light, deep in observation, serene in the comfort of their father’s teaching.”
Lighting the Candles
“Rabbi Moishe left a box with me to work with. In it I found the silver objects in this drawing, including the silver menorah we had lit together in our first working session. Drawing from observation is a form of learning. I think I’ve learned most about life through this process. Each object I discovered in the Rabbi’s box became more and more a treasure, as I worked its detail in charcoal, highlighting its illumination with white chalk against the grey drawing tablet to render the silver’s reflection of the Light.”
Elements of Celebration
Shalom
Peace, Harmony, Wholeness, Completeness,
Prosperity, Welfare, Tranquility