Nice Jewish Artist

Once Around the Block: In My Studio

2012-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

A little DIY video showing what I do in my studio all night. I queried Damon Gough about using his song in the background -- it's Badly Drawn Boy's "Once Around the Block," and you should support him by buying a copy if you like it.

"Burning Bush: Flame On" now showing in Memphis

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:00

I've mentioned that the show I have going on now in Memphis includes more pieces that just the "Paper Tefillah" series; here's one of the other papercuts on exhibition there right now. It's part of my "paper midrash" work, and this one is called "Burning Bush: Flame On."

Inspired by the first chapter of the book of Shemot (aka Exodus) in the Torah, it's another attempt to convey the sense of wonder and awe that Moses felt upon encountering the Burning Bush in the desert and hearing God's voice speak to him from its midst. This is a story I keep returning to in my work; as I try to understand the role and presence of the Divine in our lives, this is one of those moments that continues to intrigue me.

The background is made up of cut-up comics (including quite a few variations on the Human Torch, from the Fantastic Four), but also a bit of a Chumash that was destined for the genizah. You can see a hint of green in the upper reaches, as we are told that although the bush was on fire, it was not consumed. And of course, just to the right above center the eponymous words, "Flame on!"

It's available for sale, by the way -- the original and archival prints; let me know if you're interested by dropping me an email.

King David + Elvis = "The King"

2012-01-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

This is the last piece I made for my Memphis show; it's not a part of the "Paper Tefillah" series, but rather a portrait of King David.

Based on the King of Spades playing card (traditionally, each of the four kings is based on a real king), I've replaced the sword with a guitar, added sideburns and full lips, and voila: it's Elvis Presley.

Backed by cut-up pictures from the 1995 LIFE magazine special "Celebrating Elvis," observant lookers will see album covers, parts of outfits, images of Graceland, leather pants, Vegas jumpsuits for the jewels in the crown, crowd shots from his Independence Day 1956 Memphis concert in the spades, and much more.

In the faces of the king I've placed part of Psalm 33 (in English and Hebrew), written by King David; these bits were taken from an old prayerbook that was headed for ritual burial in the genizah. It includes the lines:

Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the Lord with the lyre;
make music unto him with the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
play skilfully with sounds, and shout for joy.

You can see it in person at Temple Israel in Memphis, now through February 8. If you're interested in purchasing an archival giclee print, drop me a line.

"Paper Tefillah" workshops

2012-01-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned here, part of my time at Temple Israel in Memphis was spent in workshops with students from their religious school and a local religious day school. I talked with the classes about the series as well as about tefillah and midrash and art in general, and then we all created art together. I also met with groups of teachers, talking about the "Paper Tefillah" series could be used as part of their curricula.

We worked in the museum, right next to the wall upon which the series was hung; here are some photos.

"Paper Tefillah" Opening Reception

2012-01-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

My thanks to everyone who came out to the opening reception at Temple Israel -- it went very well! I lectured in the sanctuary for about 45 minutes on Judaism, art, creation, and prayer, and then welcomed a big crowd of people into the museum to see the work. Thanks to everyone who supported me during the process: to Barb for initiating the process, to Lee and Amy for making it happen, to the Memphis community for coming out to share this with me, and to my wife Shawna who is, as always, my muse and my true love.

And f you can't make it to the show in person, please check out the Paper Tefillah catalog (in PDF format).

"Paper Tefillah" catalog now online

2012-01-10T10:07:00.000-08:00

For those of you who can't make it to Memphis to see "Paper Tefillah" in person I'm posting this PDF catalog, which shows all sixteen papercuts in the series and includes full descriptions — as well as lists of the comics used in each piece.

I'll be making prints when I return from the show; details to come.

Paper Tefillah catalog (in PDF format)

"Paper Tefillah" featured in the Forward's "Arty Semite" blog

2012-01-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

I'm so pleased to see that my "Paper Tefillah" show (opening tonight at Temple Israel in Memphis) is featured in the Arty Semite blog on the Forward website today. You can follow this link to read the article... and to see a slideshow of all sixteen papercuts.

"Paper Tefillah" write-up in the Memphis Flyer

2012-01-05T22:40:00.000-08:00

With "Excelsior!" as a headline, I knew Chris Davis had done me right. Please check out the nice review of my upcoming "Paper Tefillah" show in this week's Memphis Flyer.

"Paper Tefillah" on "Jewish Art Now"

2012-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

It's just a little post about the show, but it's a start! Click the link to see the post, or visit Jewish Art Now to see "a fresh perspective on the convergence of contemporary art and Judaism."

"Paper Tefillah" Opening Reception at Temple Israel on January 10

2011-12-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

The image above is from Temple Israel's website; click here to see the mention in the Temple Israel Memphis Voice. I look forward to welcoming you at the opening reception on January 10, 2012. I'll be lecturing at 7:00 pm; refreshments will be served afterward.

Paper Tefillah series: "Barchu"

2011-12-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

I shared this papercut with the Saturday morning minyan at Temple Ahavat Shalom this past Shabbat, and I'm pleased to share it with you here as well. (You can click the image to see it larger.)

This is my "Barchu," a papercut based on the Jewish call to worship. It's the first of the formal prayers of a contemporary Jewish service, the moment when we stop praying as as individuals and come together as a community. Our cross-talk, the silent reading of psalms, all of the business from outside vanish as the service leader calls out the first line, and the community responds with the second. This call-and-response is represented in the larger speech bubbles made up cut-up pieces of the prayer itself, showing how our private moments become part of a larger communal connection.

Here are two close-up details from the piece:

If you want to see it in person, you'll have to come to the opening at Temple Israel in Memphis on January 10.

Paper Tefillah series: "Ahavat Olam"

2011-12-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a very little photo of the "Ahavat Olam" papercut that will be featured in my "paper tefillah" show this January in Memphis.

What?

You haven't heard about the show yet?

We've got our opening reception on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, at Temple Israel in Memphis. And it's going to be awesome, if I do say so myself. And I do. Sixteen papercuts representing the major prayers in contemporary American Jewish worship services.

Anyhow, in the "Ahavat Olam" prayer (which is part of the evening service) we thank God for the gift of Torah. I've represented this gift as the Etz Chaim (Tree of Life), in which the leaves are Hebrew letters and the background is made up entirely of cut-up Superman comics and pieces from prayerbooks and a chumash that had been destined for ritual burial in the genizah.

I don't have a larger image to share right now... I'll get one posted here eventually, but you should also consider coming to the show; all of the "paper tefillah" papercuts are 18" x 24" and look incredible in person.

Memphis 2012: Paper Tefillah

2011-12-09T14:37:00.001-08:00

Memphis 2012: Paper Tefillah

2011-12-08T15:35:00.001-08:00

Teaser from the cutting table: "One master of all the earth"

2011-12-02T09:20:00.001-08:00

The speech bubble reads, "Soon there will be one God -- one master of all the earth!" Can you guess which prayer it represents?

Paper Tefillah series: "Yotzeir"

2011-11-29T16:29:00.001-08:00

Here's a photo of the completed "Yotzeir" papercut -- part of the "paper tefillah" series I've created for a show this January in Memphis. It's structured around the ten sefirot (סְפִירוֹת) -- according to Kabbalah, the ten attributes of God through which the universe is sustained. These sefirot are often described in metaphor as vessels of light. Here's an excerpt of the text of this morning prayer:

Be praised, Adonai our God, for the excellence of your handiwork, and for the lights You created: may they glorify You.

Back with comics (as is the rest of the series), you can see some Firestorm, some of Frank Miller's Ronin, Peter Gillis' all-digital graphic novel Shatter, some Kirby krackle, and plenty more -- but you'll have to wait for the show catalog to see the entire listing.

A Thanksgiving Treat: Batman with Eve

2011-11-22T10:48:00.001-08:00

From Elseworlds 80 Page Giant #1, of course.

Paper Tefillah series: "Ahavah Rabah" papercut

2011-11-17T10:08:00.001-08:00

I've completed my "Ahavah Rabah" papercut -- part of the "paper tefillah" series I'll be showing this January in Memphis, Tennessee. (Details about the show are forthcoming.)

The "Ahavah Rabah" prayer focuses on the love God shows for us by giving us the gift of Torah and the mitzvot (commandments). The pomegranate represents the mitzvot -- it's said that it contains 613 seeds, the number of mitzvot in the Torah. The prayer mentions the four corners of the earth, which is a cue for worshippers to gather together the tzitzit (which have knots also representing the 613 mitzvot) at the four corners of their tallit and hold them together, so the four corners of this piece are backed with salvaged pieces from genizah-destined prayerbooks that reference the prayer, the mitzvot, and tzitzit.

The pomegranate is backed with comics that reflect the rich juicy color of the fruit, and there are quite a few goodies hidden in this one. It's best seen in person, but until the show you can enjoy these close-up shots. And as always, you can click the pix to see them larger.

613 circles

2011-11-13T15:26:00.001-08:00

My "paper tefillah" work is coming along nicely -- here's a shot from my cutting table of a piece I've been working on this weekend. There are about 613 circles in all...

Designing a new website

2011-11-06T15:17:00.000-08:00

Pardon the dust, faithful readers -- I'm in the midst of a site redesign that will (I hope) unite this blog and my primary site (NiceJewishArtist.com). I promise to continue to provide photos of my work in progress as well as of completed pieces... and soon, a whole lot more!

UPDATE

OK, this page is coming together and my redirect is in place... and so it begins.

Art Submission Rules

2011-11-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Recently perused the guidelines for submitting artwork to a certain private institution -- realized that the guidelines (though fair, given the venue) eliminate most work that I would consider art, so ... I'm not going to submit. Here's an excerpt from the guidelines:

Content cannot be sexually explicit, harassing, or suggestive, or contain nudity
Content cannot promote alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons, any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political or religious agenda or message
Content cannot be obscene or offensive
Content cannot contain trademarks, logos or packaging owned by others without permission
Content cannot contain copyrighted materials owned by others (including photographs, sculptures, paintings and other works of art or images published on or in websites, television, movies or other media) without permission [this is the one that eliminates most of my current work -- I won't bother arguing with the venue about appropriation and fair use]
Content cannot contain materials embodying the names, likenesses, photographs, or other indicia identifying any person, living or dead, without permission

Speech bubbles on the cutting table

2011-10-26T18:00:00.000-07:00

At work on a new papercut.

Paper Tefillah series: detail from "Mi Chamocha"

2011-10-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

This is on my cutting board right now -- still working on it, but wanted to share a little detail with you.

UPDATED

Here's another one.

Happy Sukkot from Nice Jewish Artist!

2011-10-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

An early Sukkot present for my loyal readers: I made these posters a few years back as silly instructional guides on "how to hold and wave the four species" and "how to pick an etrog." Feel free to download, print, distribute, and share (as long as you cite NiceJewishArtist.com). I'm providing links to both 11" x 17" posters in JPEG and PDF format. Happy Sukkot!

Sukkot Poster

Etrog Poster

Paper Tefillah series: "MaAriv Aravim"

2011-10-06T11:10:00.000-07:00

As promised, here's a small photo of the completed "MaAriv Aravim" papercut that I created as part of my "paper tefillah" series for a show coming up this January. Here's an excerpt of the text of this evening prayer:

...Whose word brings on the evening. Whose wisdom opens heaven’s gates, and Whose understanding changes the times and seasons, and orders the stars in their heavenly constellations... God creates day and night, rolling away light in the face of darkness, and darkness in the face of light, causing the day to pass and bringing on the night, separating day and night.

There's quite a bit of the comic characters Cloak and Dagger in this papercut, and even a bit of the prayer itself in the eye in the palm of the hamsa.

Shanah Tovah!

2011-09-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

The new year begins tonight at sundown; I hope yours is a sweet one. (You have to come up with your own snarky comments on this clip art I found online.)

On the cutting table: lots of rectangles

2011-09-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten around to photographing my recently completed "MaAriv Aravim" cut -- but I'm already working on my next piece. Here's a pic of it in progress on my table...

Lexie's naming certificate

2011-09-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

Here's the naming certificate I made as a gift for a new cousin we formally welcomed to the tribe today (my wife, Shawna, performed the ceremony). Her name is Lexie, and she's so very sweet!

"Pillar of Fire" featured in Jack Kirby Collector #55

2011-09-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Just a little mention, but it's always nice to be included. Issue 55 of Jack Kirby Collector, a zine that celebrates the life and career of the "King" of comics, included a detail from my "Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire" papercut in an Adam McGovern-penned article on Kirby-inspired work: "Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik's minimal mosaics of biblical wonders and pulp fable special effects." Here's what the original cut looks like in its entirety (click to see it bigger):

Click here to see the article -- which also mentions one of my fave comic-inspired rock bands, Kirby Krackle.

(And yes -- I noticed that it's incorrectly titled "Burning Bush" in the article -- but it's the pillar, all right.)

Toronto Flora Ketubah

2011-09-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

The Toronto Flora Ketubah is complete and in the hands of the happy couple that commissioned it; here's how it came together.

The design of the ketubah is based on conversations with the couple, with abstracted imagery drawn from the time they spend together “by the lake up north” in Toronto.

At the top of the ketubah is the constellation of Orion, visible in the night sky at this time of year. On the left, golden stalks of Bebb’s Sedge mingle and rise. At the bottom is a patch of Wild Ginger, its heart-shaped leaves emphasizing the love between bride and groom.

On the right side a twining Woodbine, shown with its autumn burgundy-red coloring, wraps around a traditional romantic verse from Shir haShirim (The Song of Songs): “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li — I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.” The verse is particularly appropriate, as its initial letters spell out “Elul,” the month of the wedding. Within the Woodbine, at each end of the verse, can be seen the “R” and “T” from the wedding invitation, while the sinuous winding lines evoke the invitation’s script.

Above the ketubah text is an initial cap of the Hebrew letter bet, contained within vines of River Bank Grape; it stands for the first word of the ketubah, and for the couple's last name — and of course, grapes are a traditional Jewish symbol of joy and celebration.

Toronto Flora Ketubah sneak peek

2011-08-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

Couldn't resist sharing a little detail from the ketubah I finished cutting yesterday -- now I've got to add some color and get this to the happy couple in time for the wedding! I'll post some pix once it's delivered.

Wild Ginger

2011-08-25T12:23:00.000-07:00

Here's a little abstraction of a patch of Wild Ginger -- part of the ketubah I'm working on right now. Very excited about this one, as I'm basing the papercut elements on flora from northern Toronto, to which the couple has a special attachment. Once it's delivered I'll post a photo and explanation of the whole thing.

The summer is ending, and art is happening.

2011-08-12T08:45:00.001-07:00

Haven't updated the blog in a few weeks -- been busy getting out of summer mode and back into the saddle of art... with a few commissions to keep me busy, including a ketubah that I'll be sharing here once it's delivered to the happy couple. And I've got a few big shows in the works for 2012 -- stay tuned for details!

Teaching Papercutting at URJ Camp Newman: The Big Shin

2011-07-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

The final project my papercutting campers worked on this summer at Camp Newman was a group project -- a giant letter "shin" in which they each cut out various designs and pictures (taking turns, of course -- it's bad luck to have too many people cutting the same piece of paper at the same time). Many of the students incorporated elements from their mizrach and paper midrash projects -- and I"m very proud of how it turned out.

We started with a big sheet of poster paper colored with a red/yellow gradient, and cut through it -- the black you see in the image is what we cut out. (Click it to see it bigger.)

Teaching Papercutting at URJ Camp Newman: Final Mizrach Projects, 2011

2011-07-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

This summer the campers' final mizrach projects came out great, and I'm pleased to post them here for you to enjoy.

In Judaism, mizrach (מזרח means "east") is the direction that most Jews outside of Israel face during prayer -- Jewish law prescribes that Jews face the site of the Temple in Jerusalem during prayer, and most Jews in the diaspora live west of Jerusalem, so they face eastward during prayer. Mizrach also refers to an ornamental wall plaque used to indicate the direction of prayer in Jewish homes -- and that's what the students made, after some group brainstorming about what imagery might work in such an artwork.

Many of the students made additional projects as well -- I'll be sharing those soon on this blog as well.

Teaching Papercutting at URJ Camp Newman

2011-06-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Every summer I spend two weeks at URJ Camp Newman as an artisti-in-residence, teaching papercutting to high school-age campers. Their program is called Hagigah, and it's focused on expressing Judaism through the arts -- so they paint, they sculpt, they dance and sing and write... in addition to everything else you'd expect at Jewish sleepaway camp.

This year I have two groups of cutters, and they're already doing great work.

"King David": Commission for a Magician

2011-06-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm very pleased to share with you a photo of my latest completed commission, titled "King David."

[CLICK TO SEE IT LARGER]

Commissioned for award-winning magician Paul Green by his wife to mark his birthday, "King David" is a representation in paper of the King of Spades playing card, an oft-used tool of the close-up magician. The King of Spades is traditionally known as King David -- an acclaimed warrior, musician, and poet, and credited with writing most of the Book of Psalms.

The "King David" papercut brings together magic and Judaism in this birthday commission, backed in shades of green to represent Paul's name and his predilection for that color.

The background of the papercut features cut-up comics, featuring snippets of Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and others. The papercut also includes a section from Psalm 145 (from a book taken from the genizah before ritual burial), written by King David, which contains reference to "thy wondrous works" -- used by the artist as an allusion to Paul's magic. The English words of the psalm are found in the "top" face, and the corresponding Hebrew is found in the reverse.

Below are details of the two faces -- click the images to see them larger.

New papercut: "Higher and Higher"

2011-05-26T08:42:00.000-07:00

As I teased in an earlier post, I've been working on a new papercut inspired by the seventh chapter of Bereshit... here's a photo of it on my table (click it to see it larger).

Tentatively titled "Higher and Higher" -- named for one of the snippets of text in the background -- this papercut shows Noah's ark being raised by the uprushing "fountains of the deep" described in the Torah, while flooding rains fall from the sky.

The background is made up of a selection of grayscale and limited-palette comics, pages from a 1946 book of biblical commentary titled Pathways Through the Bible (which I rescued from the genizah box at our synagogue), and a photograph from an old National Geographic magazine.

Here are some close-up shots.

Completed commission: "Greenberg"

2011-05-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning I finished my latest commission -- it all came together in exactly the right way, and I'm very pleased with the result. Handed it over to the gentleman who commissioned it, and now I'm free to share it here.
Nicknamed “Hammerin’ Hank” or “The Hebrew Hammer,” Hank Greenberg played primarily for the Detroit Tigers as a first baseman, and was one of the premier power hitters of his generation. My "Greenberg" is modeled on his 1934 Goudey baseball card (see below).

More than a great baseball player, he was also a great man. One of the few ballplayers to give a warm welcome to the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson, the majors’ first black player in many years, Greenberg is known for a story involving a collision at first base with Robinson. After colliding with him, Greenberg whispered a few words into Robinson’s ear, which Robinson later characterized as “words of encouragement.” Greenberg had advised him that the best way to combat the slurs from the opposing players was to beat them on the field. Robinson later said: “Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg.”

Greenberg was acting in accordance with the words of our tradition: to pursue justice and promote freedom, for we were slaves in the land of Egypt. We read these words every year in the Passover haggadah, which is why the papercut is backed with elements from two traditional haggadot: the 1949 Shulsinger Brothers’ Haggadah of Passover and the 1958 H. Levitt Publishing’s Haggadah for the American Family.

Greenberg’s jersey is composed of key selections from the seder, while his face and hands are made up of scenes showing Jewish life in Egyptian slavery. The Jewish people are made of our stories — we are our history — and so too is Hank Greenberg in this papercut.

UPDATE

I'm making prints of this papercut available for sale, with the kind permission of the gentleman who commissioned the original. The prints are 16x20 giclee prints on archival watercolor stock -- and they are spectacular. Please email me if you're interested in acquiring one.

Teaser: detail from current commission

2011-04-30T21:31:00.000-07:00

Let it never be said that I don't provide special little surprises for regular readers of the blog -- here's a detail from the papercut commission on my cutting table right now. I'll be doing a full reveal in a few days when it's complete... in the meantime, anyone have any guesses?

Rainbow Over Ararat

2011-04-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

I just completed this Noah's Ark papercut titled "Rainbow Over Ararat" as a donation for the Temple Ahavat Shalom ECEC (Early Childhood Education Center) Brunch & Boutique this Sunday, April 10. They're having an auction to raise money for the school, and this papercut is one of the available items.

The ark has landed on Mount Ararat and, as the flood waters recede, a rainbow appears in the sky -- signifying God's promise to never flood the earth again. (No comment here on the potential effects of global warming.)

As with all of my current work, the piece is backed by cut-up comics. In this case, comics from all over the spectrum, with lots of characters and artist styles throughout.

Very colorful, very bright and cheerful... if you're interested in acquiring the papercut (not a print -- the original cut), click here.

Leo the Lion

2011-03-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a lion from a naming certificate I made for friend who just had her first child. The style is a bit of a swipe from the great late illustrator Jim Flora. Overly cute, perhaps? Not for a baby's room!

New papercut on the table: Revisiting the Flood

2011-03-28T13:04:00.001-07:00

Two details from the papercut currently on the table in my studio -- trying some new things with text in the background, and I'm very pleased with how it's coming along.

"Nisan Tree" -- Just in Time for Spring

2011-03-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

This is my newest papercut, "Nisan Tree." It's almost spring -- and almost the Jewish month of Nisan -- and the papercut is inspired by some lines from the Talmud:

Rabbi Judah said, When a man goes out to the country in the month of Nisan [that is, in springtime] and see trees bring forth blossoms, he is to say, "Blessed be God, whose world lacks nothing, having created in it comely creatures and beautiful trees, so that human beings may enjoy them."

The tree is backed with cut-up comics to bring in the vibrant colors and textures of spring -- with characters including Green Lantern and She-Hulk, and artists including Alex Ross and Joe Kubert.

PRINTS AVAILABLE IN SUPPORT OF TWO GOOD CAUSES

If you want to get your hands on a print of this new papercut, there's only two ways to do so, because I'm only making two prints right now (though I may make more in the future):

1. At the silent auction benefiting Jewish World Watch on Sunday, April 10, at Warner Center Park in Woodland Hills. I'm going to be in the "2011 Walk to End Genocide" as part of the Temple Ahavat Shalom team, raising money to fight genocide around the world. Details here.

2. At the Temple Ahavat Shalom Annual Gala silent auction on Saturday, June 4, at TAS. Details forthcoming on the TAS website -- and I'll post a reminder here in advance of the event.

Click the image to see it larger, or check out this earlier blog post to see what it looked like when it was still just a sketch.

How a pencil sketch becomes a papercut

2011-03-10T11:44:00.001-08:00

On the left, a little sketch from my sketchbook (after days and pages of drawing); on the right, the final cut. As you can see, often my sketches are just rough ideas toward the final form of a papercut. Then again, sometimes they're full-size, and very detailed.

From the cutting table: leaves

2011-03-08T11:00:00.000-08:00

Just a little something I cut the other day... some leaves. I'm working on a new tree right now, but this isn't going to be it.

"Reuben" papercut

2011-03-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

This is my latest completed papercut, titled "Reuben"; it's the first in a planned series of 12 cuts based on the Twelve Tribes (the papercut is 24" in height; click the image above to see it larger).

Reuben was the oldest son of the patriarch Jacob and matriarch Leah. I've represented the tribe with a mandrake root, based on the words of Bereshit (Genesis) 30:14: "Once, at the time of the wheat harvest, Reuben came upon some mandrakes in the field and brought them to his mother Leah." Mandrakes are a symbol of fertility and their roots often resemble human figures or body parts; Leah had been having difficulty conceiving again, and it is taught that Reuben was trying to help his mother.

The Tribe of Reuben is often represented with the figure of a man, and I've built this mandrake root out of comic book representations of flesh and skin -- hoping to convey the gnarled twistedness of the root and the pliant softness of flesh. Much of the flesh textures come from the Marvel comics character The Sub-Mariner, as an allusion to the words of Bereshit 49:4, in which Jacob calls his son "unstable as water." I won't get into the racy story that figures in the Jacob/Reuben conflict (it's a bit too juicy for this blog), but there's a lot of ambivalence over Reuben's character, and I wanted to express some of that attraction/repulsion with the layers and segments that make up the root.

The blue background the surrounds the root comes from a Batman illustration by Alex Ross -- Batman has his own mother issues, usually represented by a string of pearls at the time of her murder; I liked the conflation of Batman's desire to seek justice for his mother after her death, and Reuben's attempt to find justice for his mother while she still lived.

First peek: "Reuben" papercut detail

2011-02-24T07:35:00.000-08:00

Just a teaser, really -- but I keep getting requests to see what I'm working on. So here's a small detail close-up of the "Reuben" papercut I'm working on now. It will be the first of a series on The Twelve Tribes.

"Paper Midrash" at Temple Ahavat Shalom: Photos From Class

2011-02-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

I had a great time studying midrash and cutting paper in these two sessions at Temple Ahavat Shalom; my thanks and praise go out to our participants, who created some very nice work in the few hours we had together. Here are a few photos from today's session.

D.I.Y. Paper Midrash at Temple Ahavat Shalom

2011-02-02T17:38:00.000-08:00

No fees, no reservations -- just show up!

Sketchbook leaves

2011-01-20T09:56:00.001-08:00

Happy Tu B'shevat! This is from my sketchbook; I'm currently at work on the first design in a series based on the Twelve Tribes.

Happy Tu B'shevat from Nice Jewish Artist

2011-01-19T12:00:00.000-08:00

Homage to Chagall's "The Violinist"

2011-01-06T14:22:00.000-08:00

I created this as a submission for a music-related competition -- designing little artworks to represent various categories in an online music archive. This is my homage to Marc Chagall's "The Violinist" (see below), for a category of music called "American Klezmer."

Torah restoration "before and after" photos

2011-01-05T12:51:00.000-08:00

My synagogue, Temple Ahavat Shalom, is currently restoring a 350 year-old Torah (details here); I couldn't resist sharing a couple of "before and after" photos showing the great work our sofer is doing. (Click the images below to see them larger.) The best part? Everyone at the synagogue gets a chance to write a letter in the Torah!

Hanukkah Double-Down

2010-12-08T11:53:00.001-08:00

Just enjoyed my first (and probably last) Hanukkah Double-Down.

Recipe: laterally slice a jelly doughnut in half, insert one oversized latke, and enjoy -- it's like all of Hanukkah in one neat little package!

"Koufax" prints now available

2010-12-07T15:07:00.000-08:00

I have a limited edition of 18 signed and numbered "Koufax" prints available -- archival giclee prints on Swiss archival watercolor stock. Print size is 20x16, including a 2" margin. If you're interested, let me know (before they're all gone) and we can talk price and shipping (as needed).

Koufax

2010-12-05T13:05:00.001-08:00

I've completed the "Koufax" papercut commission and delivered it this morning -- I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I'm SO happy with it that I'm producing a limited edition of signed, numbered prints -- just email me with your contact information if you're interested in purchasing one. Click the pic above to see a larger image.

The piece is a single sheet papercut, backed with archival elements to represent the life and career of Sandy Koufax. It features clips from “The All-Star Story of the Dodgers,” a 1979 comic book published by Stadium Comics, as well as other baseball memorabilia.

The papercut is a triptych of shofarot, a symbol of Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. Koufax famously sat out game one of the 1965 World Series because it coincided with Yom Kippur. Why three? The number three reappears contantly with the blowing of the shofar; the Torah commands us three times to blow the shofar, and we are commanded to listen to it three times. There are, as well, three different shofar blasts: tekiyah, shevarim, and teruah; the different sounds of these blasts are reflected in the different patterns of each of the shofarot in the papercut.

The shofar on the right is composed of baseball bats, the natural browns reflecting the coloration of the shofar. At left is the “Dodger Blue” shofar; Koufax played his entire 12-year baseball career for the Dodgers, first in Brooklyn and then in Los Angeles. This shofar reflects that history with pieces of his uniform, stats about his career and records broken, a cheering crowd, and other elements. The shofar in the center includes images of Koufax on the mound, doing what he did so well: Koufax was the first major leaguer to pitch four no-hitters, he was named the National League’s MVP in 1963, and he was the first three-time Cy Young Award winner in baseball history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, the youngest former player to receive that honor, and in May of 2010 he was included in a group of prominent Jewish Americans at the first White House reception in honor of Jewish American Heritage Month.

Hag Hanukkah Sameach from Nice Jewish Artist

2010-12-02T12:34:00.000-08:00

Here's wishing you all a Happy Hanukkah! This is a shot of a Hanukkah papercut from a few years back -- taken in my house, in the frame, so forgive the shoddy repro quality (I think you can see my hands holding the camera in the reflection!). The Hebrew reads, "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" (a great miracle happened there).

"Koufax" papercut is nearly done -- enjoy this teaser!

2010-11-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a real sweet detail shot of the "Koufax" papercut I've been working on; I'm really excited about finishing it up (soon!).

The original will be available for purchase, but also -- for the first time ever -- I'll be making available a limited edition of signed and numbered archival giclee prints. Details coming soon.

New papercut in development... Enjoy these teaser shots!

2010-11-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few early shots from while I was on cutting out the structures:

And here's a shot of it as I start to add in the backing. If you look closely, you'll find a hint about the final piece.

Completed commission: Aniversary Tree

2010-11-21T10:31:00.000-08:00

This is the completed "anniversary tree" commission I just completed and delivered.

Created in celebration of a 25th wedding anniversary, the husband commissioned the work as a surprise gift for his wife. The trunk of the tree starts out as two colors, which mingle and intertwine as the tree grows, become inseparable where the leaves start to branch out. Within the leaves are the Hebrew names of the couple's three sons.

There are a few comic pieces thrown in (that's what I do, after all) but this is mostly backed with colored art papers.

Commission in progress: Anniversary gift

2010-11-04T15:55:00.001-07:00

This is a detail from a commission I'm working on right now. It's a surprise anniversary gift from husband to wife, and (at his request) an arboreal piece, with the Hebrew names of their three children worked into the greenery.

"Tower of Babel" papercut incorporates comic speech bubbles

2010-10-17T18:52:00.001-07:00

I never posted a photo of the completed "Tower of Babel" papercut that was in my recent show at Brave new World Comics -- and so with this post I remedy that situation.

It's composed in a shape reminiscent of a ziggurat, with a winding outer path that ascends to the top of the tower. The background is made of assorted cut-up speech bubbles from various comics, all chosen to reflect the theme of confusion, disorder, and emergent chaos that comes with the destruction of the tower.

Bereshit/Genesis 11:1-9

And the whole earth was of one language and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, "Come, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly." And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, "Come, let us build us a city, and a tower, with its top in heaven, and let us make us a name; lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth."

And God came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men built. And God said, "Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do. Come, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech."

So God scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth; and they left off to build the city. Therefore was the name of it called Babel; because God did there confound the language of all the earth; and from thence did God scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.

The first ever (?) steampunk papercut: "Brave New World"

2010-10-02T22:31:00.001-07:00

I'm happy to share a photo of my latest papercut with you, made as a gift for Portlyn and Atom!, the fine folks who helped bring you my latest show at Brave New World Comics. It's about them, so there are no doubt a few references that may go over one's head, but I believe the piece is nonetheless aesthetically pleasing. It includes bits and pieces of:

X-Men 179
OMAC
Ultimate Secret 3
Ultimate Extinction 3
White Tiger (trade book)
Superman 330 (1978)
Hulk 280 (1983)
Marvel Team-up 40 and 46 (1976)
ROM 27 (1982)
Fantastic Four 233 (1981) and 282 (1985)
Avengers 229 (1983)

"You did WHAT ... ?!?" featured on Proxart Blog

2010-09-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

There's a good feature on my work and the show at Brave New World Comics on the Proxart blog today -- enjoy!

Free Sukkot "How To" Poster from Nice Jewish Artist

2010-09-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

I made this poster a few years back as a fun instructional guide on "how to hold and wave the four species" -- feel free to download, print, distribute, and share (as long as you credit it to NiceJewishArtist.com). Just click on the little image on the right for a full-size, high-res JPEG sized 11x17 inches. Happy Sukkot!

Happy Sukkot from Nice Jewish Artist

2010-09-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Sukkot! We B2s are busy getting our sukkah into shape, looking forward to a week of harvest fun; how about you?

The two shows are going well. We've already sold most of the work at Brave New World Comics, gotten a lot of great traffic at the Finegood Galley, and have gotten some good press. I thank you all for your support and interest. If you've been hoping to have a chance to own one of my comic book / papercutting mash-ups, this is your chance -- come on down to either one of the shows and check out what everyone's talking about!

Check out the show catalog from Brave New World Comics

2010-09-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

Want to see what you're missing? Click here to view a PDF catalog of the works currently being shown in "You did WHAT to my comics?!?!" at Brave New World Comics.

See what's on exhibit at The Finegood Gallery

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

Right now I'm showing four pieces in a group show at The Finegood Gallery of the West Valley Jewish Community Center (West Hills, California) -- click the image above to see a larger version (but go see the show, open through October 17, to see them as they were intended to be enjoyed):

The Finegood Gallery
WVJCC
22622 Vanowen Street
West Hills, California
818 464 3218

"MOSES SMASH!" at GeekWeek.com

2010-09-13T06:41:00.000-07:00

The fine folks at GeekWeek.com have a brief review of the opening we held at Brave New World Comics this weekend -- please check it out. Excerpt:

"...taking the Hebrew from Darth Vader's chest plate, mixing in a little Darkseid, and cutting up some Final Crisis might be a bit of a stretch, or it might be awesome."

"You did WHAT to my comics?" -- Thanks for a great opening night!

2010-09-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

The show opened tonight at Brave New World Comics and it was a big success. I'll post details and pix soon, as well as a catalog of works, but for now know this: a lot of great people came, including family and friends, and a lot of art was discussed and sold. Thanks to everyone who came out and made it so great!

"Tower of Babel" papercut incorporates cut-up comic book speech bubbles

2010-09-10T06:27:00.000-07:00

Sneak peek at a detail shot of my "Tower of Babel" Paper Midrash papercut, which will likely be on the walls at my show at Brave New World Comics, starting this Saturday night. Hand-selected for this piece, the speech bubbles are from a range of comics, including Thor.

“You did WHAT to my comics?!?”
Fine Art Mash-up ∙ New Work by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik

Opening Reception at Brave New World Comics
on Saturday, September 11, from 7 to 10 pm

Show open from September 11 through October 9

The Raven: In-progress sketch

2010-09-04T14:57:00.001-07:00

Working on a raven papercut, based on the Noah story in Bereshit: "And he sent forth a Raven, and it went forth and to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth." The rabbis have a lot of fun with what "to and fro" could really be about -- is it about the raven arguing back and forth with Noah? Is it related to the idea that the raven found a fresh corpse to alight upon and never returned to the ark, hence requiring Noah to release another bird -- the dove? The raven is a tricky bird...

The look of the raven is being driven by Native American representations of the trickster-god Raven, and I'm still working on the background textures. I assure you, loyal fans, it will involve comic books in some way. And if I finish it in time, you can see the final at my upcoming show at Brave New World Comics.

More details on the show are available here.

"You did WHAT to my comics?" -- Details on Show at Brave New World

2010-08-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

“You did WHAT to my comics?”
Fine Art Mash-up ∙ New Work by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik

Opening Reception at Brave New World Comics
on Saturday, September 11, from 7 to 10 pm

Show Open from September 11 through October 9

Brave New World Comics
22722 Lyons Avenue
Newhall, CA 91321
661-259-4745

Brynjegard-Bialik Papercuts in Two Upcoming SoCal Shows

2010-08-25T17:12:00.000-07:00

I've got a one-man show at Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita opening on Saturday, September 11 (through October 9). I've also got four pieces in the fall show at the Finegood Gallery at the West Valley Jewish Community Center; that show opens on September 2, with an artists' reception on Sunday, September 12. Click the card image above to enlarge it for full details.

The image is a detail from "Fountains of the Deep." In Bereshit/Genesis 7:11 we read that "In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the deep came bursting through, and the windows of heaven were opened."

Priestly Blessing illustration

2010-08-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

This is one in a series of illustrations I'm doing for a High Holiday prayerbook for my wife, the rabbi. I'm posting this one because she's already nixed it -- so no "spoiler alert" needed.

Two Upcoming Shows in Southern California

2010-08-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

SAVE THE DATE! I've got a one-man show at Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita opening on Saturday, September 11 (through October 9). I've also got four pieces in the fall show at the Finegood Gallery at the West Valley Jewish Community Center; that show opens on September 2, with an artists' reception on Sunday, September 12. Invitations will be going out soon. If you don't think you're on my distribution list, please drop me an email or add a comment and ask to be added. Otherwise, stay tuned to this blog for details.

Beware the trickery of "Trickster Coyote"

2010-08-15T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've completed my "Trickster Coyote" papercut today! Based on the traditional Native American representation of Trickster Coyote, the piece uses cut-up Loki comics as background texture, bringing together an ancient trickster with a comic book counterpart. The Loki pieces are from Thor comics throughout the 20th century, including some Jack Kirby and John Buscema. There are also some Native American colors and textures (courtesy of Alpha Flight and The Ringo Kid), and a few other surprises here and there.

This piece, and many others, will be on display in my upcoming one-man show at Brave New World Comics (the opening reception is Saturday, September 11).

Trickster Coyote papercut begins to take shape

2010-08-12T19:28:00.001-07:00

I'm working on a papercut for my upcoming show at Brave New World Comics (opening reception is Saturday, September 11), and I thought I'd share a couple of detail photos as it's coming together. The image on the left is just the cut; on the right you can see the background getting filled in -- I'm using Loki as a primary background element, but there may be some other characters you recognize once it's done...

"Incredible" Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

2010-07-27T07:30:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I finished a new papercut of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil from the Garden of Eden -- I call it "incredible" because the background texture comprises cut-up pieces of comics featuring "The Incredible Hulk."

In this piece I'm exploring the double-edged knowledge humankind gets from exploiting the atom -- on the one hand, the potential for great power, and on the other, the potential for great destruction; ask Dr. Bruce Banner about the negative side, and you'll get it.

The shape of the tree is partial allusion to a mushroom cloud, and it's filled with the Hulk (and foliage) from a wide-ranging collection of comics -- including the work of Jack Kirby in the first Hulk comics all the way up through recent storylines like "World War Hulk."

You'll find a few different fruits (keeping with the rabbis' suggestion that we don't specifically identify which tree it was in order to avoid embarrassing it), and as usual I've also thrown in a few caption bubbles. Here are a few detail shots (click the pix below to see them larger) -- but if you want to see it live (and really, there's no better way to appreciate it), stay tuned for details on my upcoming Fall show at Brave New World Comics in Santa Clarita.

"Israel" Mural for Temple Ahavat Shalom

2010-07-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today the mural I designed for Temple Ahavat Shalom's Early Childhood Education Center finally, really, got underway. I started the design in June, got the final version approved this past weekend, and today I went in and sketched it out on the walls. Tomorrow the campers at TAS's Camp Kehillah will paint it in, and if all goes well it will look like the mock-up above (click the thumbnail or here to see it bigger). It starts on one end with Mt. Hermon, becomes the green hills and colorful flowers of the Galil, then the sabras and sand of the Negev, and finally the lush pink coral and blue water of Eilat. (Yes, some liberties with scale and other aspects of reality were taken.)

Teaching kids how to cut paperat URJ Camp Newman, Part 2

2010-07-07T19:27:00.000-07:00

As I said in my earlier post, every summer I spend two weeks at URJ Camp Newman leading classes in papercutting. Here are a few more photos of the campers at work on their papercuts.

To read about what theye did, and to see pix of their finished work, check out my earlier post.

Teaching kids how to cut paperat URJ Camp Newman

2010-07-06T16:08:00.000-07:00

Every summer I spend two weeks at URJ Camp Newman leading classes in papercutting. The students are all campers in a program called Hagigah, which is focused on Jewish expression through the arts -- fine art, dance, music, writing, photography, video, and more. They're all high school students, many of whom have been coming to Camp Newman since they were little, and the summer is always a great experience.

One of the groups I worked with choose papercutting as their "major" -- two hours per day, six days a week, for two weeks. The other group choose it as a minor, and spent one hour per day with me.

The students took to their knives rapidly, and had a great time learning a new medium. The first project for each group was a mizrach, an ornamental wall plaque used to indicate the direction of prayer (east) in Jewish homes. The major's big project was then to tell a story from the Tanakh (Torah, prophets, and writings) or midrash, while the minor designed the Hagigah poster that would advertise the end-of-session "Peachy Levy Festival of the Arts."

I'm really proud of the work the students did -- and so I'm sharing some of it here for your enjoyment.

Mizrach Project
We brainstormed as a group about what elements should be in a mizrach, to represent the east -- we were all pleased to see so many different interpretations of one extended motif come to life in our class.

Storytelling
Each student in the major chose a story from Tanakh or midrash (with the assistance of me and/or one of the rabbis we had with us) and illustrated it through this new medium they were exploring.

Just for Fun
Some of the students had some time for some smaller projects, just for fun, at the end of the session.

All of this work is copyright by the students who created it -- I'm just not naming them since they are minors. I'll be glad to field any questions about the creators or their work.

Aseh l'cha rav,u'kneh l'cha chaver.

2010-06-15T22:43:00.001-07:00

In Pirkei Avot 1:6 we read, "Aseh l'cha rav, u'kneh l'cha chaver" -- "Find yourself a rabbi, and make yourself a friend." The folks who commissioned this piece are planning to give it as a gift to a rabbi friend of ours, and I'm very pleased.

I structured the piece around the Hebrew verse, using the "shin" of "aseh" as my fulcrum, lengthened from top to bottom and creating an allusion to the form of a mezuzah. The final word of the verse is key -- "chaver/friend" -- and so it is treated differently, cut out in the lettering style of Jewish scribes.

The piece is cut out of Arches watercolor cold press stock, mounted above a square canvas painted in glowing tones of blue; the interplay of white and blue / light and shadow really came out great.

"Number Theory: Heroes"

2010-06-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

Just completed this piece to submit to Deloitte -- yes, my work life and art life have come together in a weird venn diagram of awesomeness.

So I made this piece specifically for Deloitte, as part of the Deloitte University project -- they're planning to decorate the campus with artwork created by the people of Deloitte. Here's what I said in my submission:

My art is a blending of traditions, using the mythos and imagery of comic books to explore themes of identity and connection to the world around us.

In this piece, which I created specifically for submission to Deloitte University, the papercut is built on a structure of the ten basic Hindu-Arabic numerals (0123456789), symbolizing the outward appearance of an organization built on – and dedicated to – numbers. But of course, Deloitte is much more than that – it is an organization of individuals, who each bring with them particular strengths and skills and backgrounds and make the organization more than the sum of its parts, and more than just about “numbers.” We are, all of us, heroes to ourselves and to others; it’s part of our shared values that we be the best we can be, and that we help others to do the same. And so the background texture for the cut is a collection of superheroes, representing our strength and diversity and commitment to individual performance, positive team dynamics, and joint success.

And yes, I do *love* where I work.

Pillars of Cloud and Firein local fundraiser auction

2010-06-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (June 6) Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge (California) is having its annual benefit gala, which includes a fundraiser auction. Two of my papercuts will be available for bidding: "Pillar of Cloud" and "Pillar of Fire." They are both works in paper and acrylic on canvas, measuring 11" x 14". They are mounted above the canvas, so the interplay between form and shadow is more pronounced, and they've been professionally framed in deep frames.

More information on the gala is available on the TAS website here.

From the Genizah:"The Mobile Tabernacle"

2010-06-01T09:25:00.000-07:00

Just completed a piece based on the representation of the original tabernacle (the ark of the covenant that the Jews carried with them through the desert) at Kfar Nahum in Northern Israel:

I've always loved this image -- a classic Greek style building, on giant wheels. Too ridiculous to be anything other than awesome.

I've been working with this idea for a while, and I've previously cut the whole tabernacle as you see it shown above, but this time I tried a view from the side only. Backed with a page from a book that had been destined for the genizah -- a section about the building of the tabernacle. It's a nice, simple cut -- very geometric, not too serious.

Theodore Herzl:finished portrait!

2010-05-23T18:03:00.001-07:00

Here's a photo of my latest papercut, a portrait of Theodore Herzl. The inspiration for it is his quote:

"Im tirtzu, ein zo agada."
"If you will it, it is no dream."

It's backed with elements from Green Lantern comics -- after all, his ring is powered by will. I also like that with its entirely green palette it evokes the "plant a tree in Israel" campaigns.

In case you missed my earlier post, here are some details from the portrait (click to enlarge):

"The Flood and the Rainbow"in local fundraiser auction

2010-05-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow Temple Ahavat Shalom in Northridge (California) is hosting a luncheon for its Early Childhood Education Center, including a fundraiser auction. My papercut "The Flood and the Rainbow" (framed really nicely!) will be available for bidding -- click here for details.

Theodore Herzl:details from a portrait

2010-05-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I'm sharing a few "sneak peek" details from my current papercut, a portrait of Theodore Herzl. The working title for this piece had been "Im Tirtzu," from his quote:

"Im tirtzu, ein zo agada."
"If you will it, it is no dream."

I'm now leaning toward just calling it "Theodore Herzl." it's my first papercut portrait, and as soon as I'm satisfied that it's done I'll post a full image of it.

"Aleph, Bet, Gimmel, X"

2010-05-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

I really like how this turned out, though I may revisit the design; I think there's a lot of potential in the structure. Of course, this isn't the commission I need to work on, which is where the design originally came from...

"Aleph, Bet, Gimmel, X":color study in progress

2010-05-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot from my work developing color for my latest papercut commission, which (at present) is sort of pirkei avot meets Charles Xavier.

"Kulam bhochma asitah"

2010-04-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

I've finished my latest commission, "Kulam bhochma asitah," and I'm pleased to share it with you here.

The Hebrew loosely translates as "you have created everything in wisdom," and it's for an interior designer -- so some of the textures in the background are reminiscent of materials you'd use in designing a home, including woods and textiles. The Hebrew serves as a scaffolding on which I've hung the various colors and textures that back it, making the positive and negative space equally beautiful.

Special treat: here's what the reverse of the papercut looks like before I close it up:

Commission in progress:"Kulam bhochma asitah"

2010-04-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

The Hebrew here loosely translates as "you have created everything in wisdom." It's a commission that I'm working on, and in this photo you can see the finished papercut (awaiting background, which is going to be really exciting) alongside the finished sketch in my sketchbook.

Luachot haBrit:Sapphire Tablets

2010-03-28T17:55:00.001-07:00

Midrash tells us that the Luachot haBrit -- the tablets of the covenant, AKA the Ten Commandments -- were carved out of sapphire. My latest paper midrash papercut is based on this midrash, and I've used the "Star Sapphire" character from Green Lantern (and most recently seen in the "Blackest Night" series) to represent the sapphire. Her suit is of the pink sapphire persuasion, but she has a blue star sapphire in her helmet (you can see a few of them scattered throughout). I've got new AND old panels in here, so you comics buffs will have a lot of fun parsing all of the subtexts when you see it in person.

Here are two close-up shots so you can see some detail (look closely and you can even see the name "Ferris" in there -- extra points if you can tell me why):

And here are some shots of the original sketch and the work in-progress:

UPDATE

For those of you keeping track, this papercut includes pieces of comic book art by Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy, Nicola Scott, Greg Horn, Jonathan Glapion, and Pat Broderick.

Briskin commission:"Zeh dodi, v'zeh ra'i"

2010-03-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

This is the completed Briskin commission, a gift from my clients to their parents on their 50th wedding anniversary. The verse is from Shir haShirim (Song of Songs) 5:16: "This is my beloved, and this is my friend." As it's a gift from their children, I've used a pomegranate branch to symbolize the fruitfulness of their union, and the Hebrew verse floats along the edges of the leaves and branches.

Briskin commission:In-progress photo 2

2010-03-24T23:10:00.000-07:00

Briskin commission:In-progress photo

2010-03-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

Grandchildren are the Crown of their Elders

2010-03-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

This is a commissioned papercut I just completed for a friend who wanted a gift to give to his mother. He wanted something with Jerusalem imagery that celebrated her status as grandparent, so I found a verse from Proverbs to put in the center of the piece.

Hear, O Israel

2010-03-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a smaller, simpler piece I made as part of an initial foray into a prayer/creation series. It's the first word of the Shema, and the first day of creation... called, "Shema." (Pardon the quickie low-res photo.)