Visual Anthologies™

2009-10-12T00:14:00.000-07:00

BOOK OF RELIQUARIES

AN EXPLANATION:

This book represents part of a major work

on the life and times of Sara Coppio Sullam.

This cover, taken from an antique salesman’s Bible Catalogue

was reconstructed together with a spine from the same catalogue.

It was then attached to a matching kid leather handmade back cover.

The reasoning behind this specific cover was not only for the beauty

of the highly detailed gilting

but

more importantly because the design encompassed a “Magen David”, a Star of David

and a Cross intersecting each other.

This relates to the subject matter in that the lives of Sara, a Jewess

and Anseldo Ceba, a Christian, intersected.

It also alludes to that part of this story whereby Ceba wanted Sullam to convert to Catholicism.

For him, it was the main reason to keep the relationship going.

A great majority of the correspondence and indeed the major part of their relationship was devoted to this issue.

An antique gold Italian frame, slightly altered, houses a 17th century text

(gifted by Judi Riesch) which related to Sara’s plight after being accused of plagiarism.

The gold colour and the circle shape were specifically chosen to represent the forced dress of the Jews at the time for they had to wear a gold circle to identify that they were Jews.

The two red roses signify the platonic relationship that ensued between the

two and the Italian hand shaped nib with the pointed finger sought to

represent not only the fact that both were poets but also that at the end of

their relationship, Sullam had “the finger” pointed at her for plagiarism after

not bending to Ceba’s wishes to convert her.

The text reads:

Thy sting is not so sharp

Thy sting is not so sharp

As friend remembered not

Thy sting is not so sharp

As friend remembered not

As friend remembered not

The handwriting is just superb here and perfect for a reliquary

devoted to the subject of their relationship

The lone Magen David at the base of the Bible cover,

speaks to Sara as a Jew,

a lone figure fighting for her rights to stay as such

and fighting for herself, in her own defence against a backdrop of anti-

Semitic vitriol.

Fronts piece: Digitally Altered woodcut,

“The Burning of the Jews”

represents the Inquisition period and all that that encompasses.

Stitched on to black and red velvet some of the colours that represent the Inquisition

It was nailed into the inside cover as people were nailed and tied to the stake.

The reliquary of Anseldo Ceba

sits atop an antique book cover

which has two antique papers attached.

One is a document found in Arezzo years ago. Pertinent for both the date marked above the

reliquary and the hand-drawn cross marked above.

Found in the same salesman’s Bible,

this Psalm of King David,

chosen and placed here

for its pertinence to both parties.

There are so many parallels here to the entire story,

too long to mention here

but it is highly significant on many levels.

This antique book cover was used for a number of reasons here.

There is a certain romanticism to this real life story,

at least at the beginning

and I felt this cover portrayed that feeling.

However ,the colours were significant for red and yellow were the forced colours that Jews had to

wear to identify themselves depending on which country they were in.

The greens and reds were also chosen for as previously mentioned,

They were colours symbolic of the Inquisition.

Pausing here for now, part 2 soon.

Thanks for reading.

2009-09-23T06:58:00.000-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

2009-09-04T03:58:00.000-07:00

"Seeking Sara"
An Evidence Based Mixed Media Art Journey
Part 3

Reliquaries:

Ansaldo Ceba was born in 1565 in Genoa. He came from a noble family and attended the University of Padua where he specialized in Greek language and literature.

Ansaldo Ceba and Sara Copia Sullam were most intimately linked with his heroic poem on the sacred theme of Queen Esther.

Ceba’s poem, La Reina Ester, written in 1613. “La Reina Ester” was composed in less than two years. Ester was an extremely long poem (Canto XI has 186 stanzas; Canto IX, 170).

Being a well known literary figure, Ceba’s poem had aroused great expectations in Italy however the poem was not received at all well.

In 1618, Ansaldo Ceba received a letter that was to affect his life profoundly and bring him some joy because it was from someone who appreciated his poem Ester.

That Ansaldo Ceba was a Christian who had deemed a Jewish queen worthy of being made the heroine of an epic poem was what captured the attention of Sara.

Finished Reliquary for Ansadlo Ceba

Antique Italian photo frame

Feathers representing quills used for his written poetry

Antique beads and

Antique metal fringe from Masonary neck piece

Her letter in praise of the poem led to an exchange of letters and verse with Sara Copio Sullam. The exchange was his attempt to convert her to his Catholic faith.

There is no image available of Sara hence I substituted with this image of Queen Esther. It seems ironical that the poem that brought the lives of these two of different faiths together, uses Queen Esther’s heroism to save her people from annihilation. If the Jews at the time all became Converso's then they would have committed self annihilation.

Sara, who was extremely committed to her faith, did not relent to Ceba’s continual attempts to convert her.

Sara lived at a time when Jews were forced to live in the Venetian Ghetto. The Inquisitions still prevailed and it was with great risk to her life that Sara continued her correspondence and subsequent refusals to convert. However, the The Venetian Ghetto was famous for intellectual as well as artistic and musical attainments.

Finished Reliquary for Sara Copio Sullam

Antique Italian photo frame

Antique beads and trim

Vintage crewel leaves

Antique Piano Ivories representing her musical talents

The colours red and yellow used to symbolise the forced colours that Jews had to wear to identify themselves.

The use of the reliquary here, whilst somewhat foreign to Judaism seemed appropriate to the subject matter and the way people were remembered at the time.

xo

2009-06-29T00:58:00.000-07:00

"Seeking Sara"

An Evidence Based Mixed Media Art Journey

Part 2

Choosing this book for its pertinence to my story of Sara’s life

It’s called Character Sketches of Romance Fiction and the Drama.

Well there was plenty of drama involved here.

To make it an evidence journal/book I decided to add and adapt a shadow box or small printer’s tray. I had found one in the USA that Michael fell in love with and adapted for one of his classes.

But this one was even smaller.

I had elements that I had already created

And some that were yet to be created

Since the box was in a raw form, I painted and altered it to suit my needs.

I created a lot of blank mini books which will serve to record different bits of evidence that I may stumble across in my search for Sara.

The mini books are all hand made and bound to the same specifications as a larger book.

The main book houses both the evidence box

And it’s components

On the left under the cover I created a fronts-piece

Which tells part of the story within

Sandwiched between two pieces of acrylic, the elements used are some of the elements I had from my last Italy trip.

Within the box one finds many individual elements , mostly found, like these mini watchmakers tins that I intend to add finds in Italy.

Adding and combining elements that have been repaired and or altered to serve my purpose.

This piece was a tattered and broken mini Victorian photo album

I repaired the pages, stuck most of them together and added the aged initials of Sara

I added some embossed velvet and left part of it open so I can use it like a shrine when I find the right pieces to add to it in Italy.

Then I will complete it by adding some glass or mica.

The spine was re-done as there was none when I purchased the book.

Mini vials were altered and chained together so I can add items from the journey

I decided to take an old Mezuzah with me, maybe as proof of who this is about, maybe for protection

But maybe I will place it somewhere and leave it in Italy, I am not sure but it needed housing, so I had a very old leather key chain which I cut apart, resewed and measured to size my mezuzah in. The leather was already split so I decided that that would be the pocket in which rests my Mezuzah.

I had a small copy of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant Of Venice” so I wanted to bring that along.

But I hated the vinyl cover it had so I re-covered it in a leather more apt to my piece.

Small paper parcels were created to add notes if necessary

Now since this post has taken hours to upload because blogger has decided to fail on me, I will stop here and update again soon.

2009-06-03T02:22:00.000-07:00

Italy Workshop
Cortona
May 2010

I ventured to Cortona Italy three years ago to do some art workshops with Archangelo Productions.

Little did I know that in May 2010 I would be teaching one there myself.

So I asked myself, why would someone want to come to Cortona to do a workshop with me?
What would make my workshop enticing when there are so many all over Italy?

Well, it was difficult to answer but I decided to throw myself into a project that encompasses all the aspects of my classes and my Visual Anthologies™ that my students, time and again , seem to want to learn.

This workshop has links to that first workshop I took as a student... as you will soon find out...

and will be no real surprise to me or you, if you read my blogs regularly.

One fine day I stumbled on this book, the story of which you can find in this post.

That book took me on a long and very deep journey.

The journey landed me in 17th Century Venice, amongst other places and times.

Four seperate Visual Anthologies have noe come from it.

I found and discovered four amazing women who I had barely heard of.

They were women of amazing fortitude, foresight who had great strength and courage.

Leaders of their time, I focused on one of them for this workshop.

“Seeking Sara”: An Evidence Based Mixed Media Art Journey
Cortona Italy 2010

Throwing myself deep into research I discovered Sara Coppio Sullam.

Who was she?

Sara, it has been said, was a beautiful, intelligent, musically gifted Jewess, born into a highly educated and prominent family in Venice.

There are no images of her. But it is said that she was blonde – hence the reason these covers were chosen for this project.

Hers is a tale of high romance and drama.

It involves her relationship with a famous Monk, a well known literary writer and poet of the same time.

It involves her relationship with a famous Rabbi and also well known for his writings and plays.

It involves the issues of living life in the first Ghetto ever created.

A Monk and a Rabbi both seperately writing a play and a poem entitled “Ester”.

Both connected to Sara.

Her story becomes a fascinating and exhilarating journey into the life and times of a “woman of letters” mingling and mixing with the greatest Italian literary giants of her time in her Literary Salon.

Hers is a tale of jealousy, famous poets and poetry and of “men of letters” all mingling amongst the backdrop of Renaissance Italy where women in general were kept in seclusion and to engage in serious literary exchanges of intellectual views was discouraged as they were seen as less virtuous than the men of the time.

Today she is seen as a pioneer in the literary arena.

But enough said for now.

The journal above is one that I created or upcycled as one component for this workshop for whilst in Italy it will be where I will document my evidence of Sara and my hunt for her.

Created from two discarded (not by me) cover boards from a Victorian photo album, I hand-sewed the many signatures to make the book-block.

It had to be the correct size - not so easy, believe me, to fit the cover and back as the absolutely beautiful brass clasp was still attached. Yaah.

Then I had to find the correct kid leathers to match or at least come close in order to reattach a new spine where there was no spine.

Into the spine went a page from a book, bought at the Arezzo flea market 3 years ago. Did I know how relevant this book would become?

Ahh yes the flea markets - amazing, the whole town comes out with their wares.

Stacey has coordinated the workshop to coincide with the once a month famous Arezzo Antique markets - day two - off we go.

I am already excited wondering what amazing things I will find for who knows what project.

The book by Salomon Fiorentino, a famous Jewish Poet living around the same time period as Sara in Arezzo. Who would have known that picking up and buying only this book – having no understanding of what it was about – would link up to Sara.

Stay with me folks....

I know, yet again!
The serendipity of it all.
But I am loving it.

Then there was this find whilst just about to bind the spine.
Found on a Sydney Street, dumped on the side of the road.

A Haggadah used during our Passover Seder.

The inscription inside reads: “Le Yehudit, 1947”
The inscription inside translates to : To Judy, 1947

A torn page of this Haggadah spoke of the 4 types of answers to the question posed during the Passover Seder: Why is this night different from all other nights?

I chose to insert the torn text with the answer from the Chacham, the Wise one.

Why?

Because as we will discover over the course of the time leading up to my Italy workshop, Sara had to muster all her wits to answer a charge that she took to the Legal Courts in Italy.

Then I placed my signature within the spine directly on the paper for who knows who will find this book one day and wonder who did this, who does it belong to?

That is how I sign my books, hidden deep within the book somewhere.

All the evidence will be placed in this book and the other components I have made up for this workshop.

Naturally whoever comes won't be doing their book and evidence journal and pieces about Sara.

You will decide what yours is about - and learn all the techniques applied to build such a major piece. As you will see soon, there are many components to this workshop so you will have to keep following to find out what is involved.

Next post on this topic will cover what the Evidence Mixed media piece will look like, what techniques will be learned within the workshop etc.

To be continued….
And thanks for staying with me on this post!

2009-04-19T20:27:00.000-07:00

A bit about my art:

I was fortunate enough to have been voted as this month's featured artist on Creative Souls.

It is an amazing site created by the one and only Izabella. So many artists there and i have made some lovely friends in the short space of time I have been there.

Come see for yourself - it's so worth the visit.

So in order to show the members what my art is about I had to move fast and produced this video to explain what it is I do.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Hope you enjoy it.
xo

2009-03-20T20:28:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posting the next stage of this piece but we have had no internet access where we were in Bali.
Knowing that some of you were on the edge of your seats it was frustrating not to be able to post but we just arrived back today.

Gifted antique marble papers from Judi Riesch, Philadelphia.

Thanks for all the wonderful and heartfelt comments about this piece. They were truly amazing and inspiring for me and it means so much to me that bloggers are reading this important artwork.

So without any further delay...

“The Righteous”
Part 3

It was a beautiful autumn day. The Vistula’s waters reflected the foliage of a Polish autumn. The Wavel, the ancient castle of the Polish kings looked as majestic as ever.

A boat of Jew being deported along The Vistula

Mothers strolled with their little children and she, the young Jewish mother, was trying to hold back her tears.

Seperation of Jews who had to sit in the back of Trolley Cars

She slowed her hasty, nervous steps so as not to betray herself and changed her hurried pace to a leisurely stroll as if she too were out to enjoy the sights of ancient Cracow.

Found and repaired, a discarded cutlery box found on a Sydney Street

To thwart all suspicion Helen displayed a huge cross hanging around her neck and stepped in for a moment to the Holy Virgin Church in the Old Square.

Found old cross, vintage jewellery vault, Sydney Australia

Smuggling little Shachne out from the ghetto to the Aryan side was indeed timely.

Found Polish text in local Library Book sale and rusty porthole-type object, gift from Jen Crossley

In March 1943, the Cracow ghetto was liquidated.

People in the work camp adjacent to the ghetto were transferred to nearby Plaszow and to the more distant Auschwitz. Anyone found hiding was shot on the spot.

Cracow Ghetto

Cracow the first Jewish settlement on Polish soil, dating back to the thirteenth century, was Judenrein!

Found discarded antique Yiddish book New York

Mr and Mrs Jachowitch constantly inquired about the boy's young parents.

Eventually they found out that the Hillers had shared the fate of most of Cracow's Jews.

Both of them were consumed by the flames of theHolocaust.

Found cross, New York and found poem with found vintage book Sydney, Australia

Mr& Mrs Jachowitch, also, faced many perilous days.

They moved to a new home in a different town.

From time to time they had to hide in barns and haystacks.

Found vintage book Sydney, Australia

When little Shachne suffered from one of his crying spells, calling for his mother and father they feared that unfriendly suspicious neighbours would betray them to the Gestapo. But time is the greatest healer.

Found antique original music sheet, recycle shop, Sydney, Australia

Little Shachne stopped crying. Mrs Jachowitch became very attached to the child and loved him like her own. She took great pride in her “son” and loved him dearly. His big, bright, wise eyes were always alert and inquiring.

Found tin type paper frame holder, Philadelphia

She and little Shachne never missed a Sunday service and he soon knew by heart all the church hymns. A devout Catholic herself, Mrs Jachowitch decided to baptize the child and indeed make him into a full-fledged Catholic.

She went to see a young, newly ordained parish priest who had a reputation for being wise and trustworthy. Mrs Jachowitch revealed to him her secret about the true identity of the little boy who was entrusted to her and her husband and told him of her wish to have him baptized so that he might become a true Christian and a devout Catholic like herself.

The young priest listened intently to the woman’s story. When she finished her tale, he asked, “And what was the parent’s wish when they entrusted their only child to you and your husband?”

Waxed papers from a book for Jewish Children from Ruth Rae, the title is seen here, "Ways to keep the Commandments".

Mrs Jachowitch told the priest about the letters and mother's last request that the child be told of his Jewish origins and returned to his people in the event of his parent’s death.

The young priest explained to Mrs Jachowitch that it would be unfair to baptize the child while there was still hope that the relatives of the child might take him.

He did not perform the ceremony.

This was in 1946.

Found rusty antique artist paint tin in recycle shop Sydney, Australia

Sometime later, Mr Jachowitch mailed the letters to the United States and Canada. Both Mrs Berger from Washington and Mr &Mrs Aron from Montreal responded, stating their readiness to bring the child to the USA and Canada immediately.

Found text within antique book spine

But then a legal battle began on both sides of the Atlantic that was to last four years. Polish law forbade Polish orphan children to leave the country. The immigration laws of the US and Canada were strict & no visa was issued to little Shachne.

Found 1940's toy car, Sydney Australia

Finally in 1949, the Canadian Jewish Congress obtained permission from the Canadian government to bring 1210 orphans to the country. It was arranged for Shachne to be included in this group, the only one in the group to come directly from Poland.

Meantime a court action was instituted in Cracow, and Shachne was awarded, by a judge in Poland, to the representatives of the Canadian American relatives.

In June 1949 Shachne Hiller boarded the Polish liner MS Batory, the parting from Mrs Jachowitch was a painful one.

Found antique passenger identification tag Melbourne Australia

Both cried but Mrs Jachowitch comforted little Shachne that it was the will of his real mother that one day he should be returned to his own people.

On July 3, 1949, the MS Batory arrived at pier 88 at the foot of west 48th street in New York City. Aboard was little Shachne, first class passenger cabin no. 228.

He was met by his relatives, Mrs Berger and Mrs Aron. For the next year Shachne lived in Canada. On December 19, 1950, after two years of lobbying by Mrs Berger, President Harry S Truman signed a bill into law making Shachne Hiller a ward of the Berger Family. When Shachne arrived at the Berger’s' home on Friday February 9, 1951, there was a front-page story in the Washington Post.

Found antique book, Sydney Australia

It was more than eight years since Shachnes’ maternal grandmother ReizelWurtzel, in the ghetto of Cracow, had written the letter to her sister-in-law (his great-aunt) Mrs Berger, asking her to take her little grandson to her home and heart. Her will and testament were finally carried out.

Found part spine of book which says "One Jude" - "One Jew"

Years passed. Young Shachne was educated in American universities and grew up to be a successful man, vice-president of a company, as well as an observant Jew. The bond between him and Mrs Jachowitch was a lasting one.

They corresponded, and both Shachne and his great-aunt Mrs Berger continually sent her parcels and money, and tried as much as possible to comfort her in her old age. He preferred not to discuss the Holocaust with his wife, sons, family, or friends. Yet all of them knew about the wonderful Mr and Mrs Jachowitch who saved the life of a Jewish child and made sure to return him to his people.

In October 1978, Shachne, now Stanley, received a letter from Mrs Jachowitch.

Found book page in an antique book titled "Left in charge" Australia

In it she revealed to him,

for the first time,

her inclination to baptize him and raise him as a Catholic.

She also went on to describe, at length, her meeting with the young Parish Priest on that fateful day.

Found cover and back of photo album, gift from Michael deMeng, from Italy

Indeed, that young Parish Priest was none other than the man who became

Found and repaired antique bible cover and back- fought hard for but lost the bidding war at an auction in Sydney Australia - I walked away shattered, only to be offered the cover and back, not the contents for a minimal sum after the crowd booed and hissed the purchaser who was told I needed it for a piece of art - love my supportive auction competitors who knew I really needed the item but could not afford to go as high as the winner.

Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Cracow

and

on October 16, 1978

Found antique French haberdashery sign Sydney

was elected by the College of Cardinals

Pope John Paul II.

Found antique book whilst in Philadelphia shopping with Judi Riesch, Karen Cole and Leslie Marsh

Found antique pearl buttons attached to the Papal Cross to represent the "hidden"child - as pearls are hidden within an oyster so to Shachne was hidden, only to be revealed when safe.

This story was based upon several of the conversations of YaffaEliach with Shachne Hiller his family, and his mother-in-law, September 1977-October, 1981.YaffaEliach. 1982. Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust. New York: Avon Books.

Thank you for reading these posts and for viewing this amazing tale of courage.

Courage from a mother

Courage from a Non-Jewish neighbour

Courage from a young Priest

For me this story of heroism is a lesson for all of us today.
I was left questioning whether or not I would have had the courage to stand up and take in a child that was not mine and would, in doing so, put my life and that that of my family’s at risk, not for a day, but for years. It is impossible to answer.

Imagine the strength of Mrs Jachowitz to bring up a child not her own, to hide his true identity then to fall in love with the child and then to have to give him up. She did not have to reveal the identity of the hidden child to the Priest, however being a truly religious Christian, she did just that.

Imagine the presence of mind, the emotions and fortitude of Helen Hiller to separate herself from and to try and save her child.

Imagine the strength of character of a young, Pope John Paul II, to keep the secret of the hidden Jewish child and to insist that he be given back to his people.

Imagine what we can all do if we opened our hearts to each other today and let the courage of our convictions and the humanity within each and everyone of us to shine through.

The Righteous Among The Nations, truly honourable people and wonderful examples of human kind at their best.

Thankyou and please

Never Forget!

2009-03-06T02:48:00.000-08:00

“The Righteous”
Part 2

(Found suitcase dumped on Sydney street)

This is a true story.
It speaks of the courage of a number of key people
who risked their lives

in a time of terror and war

to save the innocent.

(Shoes found or given -if you sent them to me please identify yourself)

I ask that if you know the story please do not divulge any part of it, especially if you decide to leave a comment, until the final post when the dramatic ending is revealed.

So as not to reveal the ending the images displayed will not be in order. Any credits will be given at the conclusion.

After reading this story, I knew I had to do a piece if artwork on it, just how to do it took over a year of thought and the gathering of objects.

(Book found on the street in Sydney - it says "German Living". The swastica's were drawn on the book by the owner of the book when found).

The story:

It was June 1942 the murder of Jews in the Cracow ghetto was at its heights. About 5000 victims were deported to Belzec death camp. Hundreds were being murdered in the ghetto itself, shot on its streets on the way to deportation.

The Hiller family realized that their days in the Cracow ghetto were numbered, they too would soon be swept away in one of the frequent Aktions, yet there was still a glimmer of hope.

They were young and skilled labourers if they were deported to a labour camp perhaps they would still have a chance of survival.

But the fate of their little son Shachne was a different matter, small children had become a rare sight in the ghetto, starvation, disease and the most ever increasing selections took their constant toll.

Helen and Moses Hiller began feverishly to plan the rescue of their little Shachne.

After considering various possibilities they decided to contact family friends on the Aryan side in the small town of Dombrowa, childless gentile people named Jachowitch.

Helen Hiller, with help of the Jewish underground made her way to Dombrowa. She went to Mr and Mrs Joseph Jachowitch and begged them to take care of her little son. Although they could do so only at a great risk to their own lives, the Christian friends agreed to take the child.

Despite the ever-increasing dangers of the ghetto, the young parents could not bring themselves to part from their only child. Only after the large Aktion on October 28, 1942 when 6000 additional Jews were shipped to Belzec and the patients at the Jewish hospital, the residents of the old-age home, and 300 children at the orphanage were murdered on the spot, did the Hiller family decide to act.

On November 15, 1942 Helen Hiller smuggled her little boy out of the ghetto. Along with her son she gave her Christian friends two large envelopes.

One envelope contained all the Hillers’ precious valuables and the other contained letters and a will.

One of the letters was addressed to Mr and Mrs Jachowitch, entrusting them with the little Shachne and asking them to bring up the child as a Jew and to return him to his people in case of his parents' death.

(Random book pages gathered and given by friend Ruth Rae, Los Angeles. The book pages are from a book for Jewish children and these specific pages are titled "Ways to keep the Commandments").

The Hillers thanked the Jachowitch family for humanitarian act and promised to reward them for their goodness. The letter also included the names and addresses of relatives in Montreal and Washington D.C.

(Found vintage stamping which dropped on my foot when I dropped an entire drawer of stampings whilst shopping with my friend Michelle Ward in New York - it says 'Forget Me' not in French and German).

The second letter was addressed to Shachne himself, telling him how much his parents loved him that it was this love that had prompted them to leave him with strangers, good and noble people. They told him of his Jewishness and how they hoped that he would grow up to be a man proud of his Jewish heritage.

(Found book Sydney)

The third letter contained a will written by Helen's mother, Mrs Reizel Wurtzel. It was addressed to her sister-in-law Jenny Berger in Washington. She wrote to her of the horrible conditions in the ghetto, the deportations, the death of family members and of the impending doom.

She wrote: “Our grandson, by the name of Shachne Hiller, born on the 18th day of Av, August 22 1940, was given to good people, I beg if none of us will return, take the child to you bring him up righteously. Reward the good people of for their efforts and may G-d grant life to the parents of the child. Regards and kisses your sister, Reizel Wurtzel.”

(Found crocheted cross lying between the pages of a book found in Melbourne Australia)

As Helen was handing the letters to Mrs Yachowitch, she once more stated her instructions: “If I or my husband do not return when this madness is over, please mail this letter to America to our relatives. They will surely respond and take the child. Regardless of the fates of my husband or myself I want my son to grow up as a Jew.”

The two women embraced and Mrs Jachowitch promised that she would do her best. The young mother hurriedly kissed her little child and left, fearing that her emotions would betray her and she would not be able to leave her little son behind in this strange house, but instead would take him back with her to the ghetto.

(Found antique paper frame - Philadelphia)

To be continued...

2009-03-02T03:50:00.000-08:00

“The Righteous”

Part 1

Please, I ask that no images or text or any part of this post or posts to follow on “The Righteous” can be taken without written permission from me. This applies to this blog and my other blog Red Velvet.

Should you wish to link to this or any of the posts associated with “The Righteous”, I ask that you inform me and I will link your blog on the side of this blog as I have done in the past.

Thanks for your understanding.

As previously stated, I started gathering for this piece well over a year ago.
Needing to feel the time was right and having the time to complete this piece, I started with this antique Victorian Bible.

Covered in paint on both sides and accumulated dirt over such a long period of time, it was in terrible need of repair.

It took me about a week to clean it up

And discover the treasures hidden beneath the massive layers of grunge

I felt as though I was on an archaeological dig sometimes, here’s why

Working under a magnifying glass the entire time I thought the dark tones were leather

As I took my very sharp scalpel to the leather I gently scraped and scraped

All of a sudden a tiny fleck of gold leaf appeared

Excitedly I continued to discover that what I thought was leather was accumulated, hard as a rock, dirt.

See where the scalpel is here (below) – only brown

See now See where the scalpel is here – some gold

Before

After

Now just that minute piece which is hardly visible to the naked eye took an hour or more.

Imagine this then – and this was unbelievable compared to how it first looked – barely visible

But after much time and a lot of patience – my beautiful angel appeared and now restored almost to her former glory

Whilst I love the aged appearance of things, as you know, I decided to clean up the brass – OMG – my arms were so sore after doing all four magnificent corners and the other brass elements.

I felt the need to clean it up again so the true magnificence of the piece and it was critical to the telling of the true story that will be revealed to you soon enough.

You will need to be patient with me for…

In order to fully understand this, one of my most recent Visual Anthologies™,

“The Righteous”, I feel it is imperative to explain a few things.

Please Please Please

You really need to read all of this to understand where I will be heading.

Anti Semitism became the official policy of Germany when Hitler and his Nazi party’s rose to power in Germany in 1933.

The Nazi regime carried out the largest systematic genocide, of a people, the Jews, ever known in the history of man.

6 million Jews, including 1.5 million children, were murdered in those countries occupied by Nazi Germany. Under Nazi rule, most non-Jews did not do much to assist the Jews in their plight.

However, there were some people who risked their lives, their freedom and position to help Jews during the Holocaust and indeed, some of them were murdered as a result o that assistance.

Those rescuers are known as The Righteous Among the Nations.

By 1 January 2008 Yad Vashem, The Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority located in Jerusalem, recognized 22,211 Righteous Among the Nations from 44 countries.

To be Continued...

2009-02-20T04:59:00.000-08:00

Well no-one guessed the book

It was the yellow one… this one

The spine was coming a part so I re-attached it and added more bits to the story by doing so

Yes indeed a “life in a nut-shell”

All packed away neatly in a small book

Hidden amongst many books

One day to be found by

?????

On another note...

I have been restoring this old bible for a piece of art that I envisaged well over a year ago.

Not sure how to put the story together, I slowly gathered bits and pieces for it over that time.
The found objects were gathered from New York, Philly, Italy, Melbourne and Sydney but to name just a few.

Over this weekend, I hope to complete the complex piece. It is a Visual Anthology™ that I am so excited to present after all the time and thought over it.

So stayed tuned.

Have a nice weekend.

2009-02-15T03:58:00.000-08:00

Memento Mori
Part 2

I created these small, double sided slides,

to convey short expressions of meaningful moments

Of meaningful textures

Of meaningful images,

no matter how minute

Together, all tell a story of a life

And a time

No longer present

Small expressions

Big impact

Meaning something to

The person to whom the memento’s belongs

Together they sit
with the bullet – housing a special handwritten note

All items hidden

Ones’ inner-most expressions have meaning only to those who know the owner – hidden messages

Hidden within a tin

Hidden within a book

Which book is it – can you tell me please?

XO

2009-02-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

Memento Mori

Meaning, "Be mindful of death"

Or "Remember that you are mortal"

Also a description of an object of remembrance

In Victorian times, people kept ‘memento mori’ of loved ones

There are a number of components to this piece

Twice made Worry beads

Or prayer beads

The linking of the beads with the concept of Memento Mori

Historically many people carried small reminders of their own mortality

Or simply an object or objects that reminds us of a time and a place – never to be repeated but by having that object on us or with us, takes us back to that moment in time.

Stay tuned for Part 2

xo

2008-12-22T02:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new blog Visual Anthologies™

It is here that I will posting information about my Visual Anthologies™ or techniques related to my art. I hope you enjoy the journey together with me.

I thought it would be interesting for you to see this...

So it looks rather interesting doesn’t it

No its not the sun

I shall expand the view some-what

Still not quite sure what this is

Many have enquired about the casting of the female body form and the rusty lady that I used in my Visual Anthologies™ in Susan Tuttle’s new book Exhibition 36

So I thought I would show you my latest little production

So many processes go into this process – I always find it fascinating and hope you do too

Sooooo cute, huh

Ok I will get her to turn around for you. Looks rather painful doesn’t it.

Here she is having just come out of the mold

Time for a scrub and a wash – that's filthy soapy water in there

The white pellets are ceramic – tumbles along with the casting to clean them up

I made sure she was washed well behind the ears

That cleaning process is supposed to go on for about 6 hours but as it is just before the big break I had to grab a few of my castings and work out what adjustments need to be made

Then its a good shake down

It's a bit like gold mining

Then its another shake down and rinsing with water

Here they are still covered in soap

Oops she fell over

Lots of work still to do on them though

Note the whole process is done by hand- not machine, very labor intensive, so when you see my pieces here or for sale in my ETSY store you can see just what goes into making a casting

I have to decide whether to have holes pre-drilled in her or not

If so where?

Do I have a ring soldered onto her so she can be easily used for a pendant?

Hmmm, question questions

Whats your opinion, I would love to hear it.

I wanted to wish you all a Happy Chanukah or Merry Christmas or happy Kwanza and to all of you a very happy, healthy, productive and creative 2009.
xo