Boing Boing and Instagram

Wow – the right person saw my work on Instagram (@nicejewishartist), I got picked up by Boing Boing, and BAM! my website traffic picked up.

My show at the PJCC is going well, and work is now selling even more quickly. The show ends on March 19, so go check it out in person if you can, and if you've been thinking about acquiring something for yourself, now is the time to do it. Contact Kimberly Gordon at the PJCC or email me; the show catalog is online here.

Shabbat shalom!

Inscribe - a mezuzah artwork by Kingsley

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to visit the Peninsula Jewish Community Center in Foster City (Northern California) to lead a gallery tour of my current show, "You did WHAT to my comics?!?" – and I was pleased to discover, just inside the entrance, this exciting piece of Judaica: a mezuzah by a woodworker who goes by the name Kingsley.

The mezuzah is called "Inscribe"and stands over 5 feet tall, and is made of wood and paper. It displays the Hebrew letter shin prominently at the top, traditionally inscribed on the exterior of a mezuzah (it's the first letter of the text on the scroll inside, and also the first letter of one of our names for God). There are 613 small circular openings in the front of the piece into which are inserted small scrolls with "hopes, prayers, and dreams"; occasionally the PJCC asks special guests to add a scroll to the piece.

On the side is the mezuzah scroll itself (the klaf), wedged into an opening carved into the wood made specifically to fit it.

Photos from the PJCC gallery tour

My thanks and appreciation go out to everyone who joined me for the gallery tour yesterday at the Peninsula Jewish Community Center.

I had a wonderful time talking with you about art and Judaism, and I'm especially pleased I got to meet those of you who have been purchasing work from the show. I signed some prints and waved my hands around, talked with old friends and made some new ones.

There are still works available for purchase; check out the catalog here to see everything in the show, alongside descriptions of each piece and listings of the comics I cut up to make them – and contact me if you're interested in acquiring a piece.

"Fantastic Exodus" showing in Northern California

"Fantastic Exodus" is one of the new works in my one-man show at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, California. I'll be leading a gallery tour and making a brief presentation this Sunday, February 10; visit the PJCC website for details on the show or to reserve your spot.

In this papercut, the members of the Fantastic Four (from left to right: Reed, Ben, Johnny, and Sue) represent the four elements (water, earth, fire and air) and four of the elements of Israel’s journey from slavery to freedom (crossing the Sea of Reeds, gathering at Sinai, and being protected by the pillar of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day). As usual, the work is backed with cut-up comics representing these characters and themes:

• Fantastic Four #15 (Jun 1963), 17 (Aug 1963), 21 (Dec 1963), 23 (Feb 1964), 248 (Nov 1982), 265 (Apr 1984), Annual #18 (1984), 282 (Sep 1985), 286 (Jan 1986), 290 (May 1986), 296 (Nov 1986), 297 (Dec 1986), 305 (Aug 1987), 314 (May 1988), 544 (May 2009), 587 (Mar 2011)
• Fantastic Four: The Lost Adventure #1 – Apr 2008
• Fantastic Four: Flesh and Stone – 2000
• Marvel Adventures: Fantastic Four #34 – May 2008
• The Last Fantastic Four Story #1 – Oct 2007
• Fantastic Four 2099 #6 – Jun 1996
• Fantastic Five: The Final Doom #1-5 – 2007
• The Thing vol. 1 #22 – Apr 1985
• The Thing vol. 2 #2 – Feb 2006, 7 – Jul 2006
• Hulk and Thing: Hard Knocks #1 – Nov 2004
• Ultimate Fantastic Four #3 – Mar 2004, 5 – May 2004, 10 – Oct 2004, 42 – Jul 2007

Join me in Northern California for a gallery tour!

My work is now showing at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, California. Please join me for a reception, gallery tour, and brief presentation on Sunday, February 10 at 2 p.m. – call the JCC at (650) 378-2702 to reserve your spot, or visit the show site here.

Incredible Little Tree: "...knowledge and danger can grow from the same soil."

Incredible Little Tree

12" x 16"

Mixed media

2012

This papercut highlights the tug between two extremes: the desire to know, and the desire to live. In the Garden of Eden our ancestors were told to eat freely of the tree of life, but not to touch the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. This tree, backed with cut-up Hulk comics, explores the idea that knowledge and danger can grow from the same soil.

To make this piece I cut up a bunch of comics, including:

• The Incredible Hulk #2 – July 1962 (reprint), 240 – Oct 1979,
  280 – Feb 1983, 295 – May 1984, 296 – Jun 1984, 448 – Dec 1996
• Incredible Hulk #78 – Apr 2005
• Giant-size Incredible Hulk #1 – Jul 2008
• Hulk #4 – Aug 2008
• Ultimate Hulk Annual #1 – Dec 2008 

Now showing at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, California – it's one of my many new works in the show, which will be open from January 4 through March 19, 2013.

B2 at the PJCC

(Thanks to Steve for the photo!)

"The Golem" now showing in Foster City

"The Golem" (18" x 24", mixed media) is now showing at the Peninsula JCC in Foster City, California – it's one of my many new works in the show, which will be open from January 4 through March 19, 2013.

Legend tells us that in times of danger there are those in the Jewish shtetls and villages who have brought life to animate matter, creating golems to protect the populace. The golem is given life with the inscription of the Hebrew word “emet” (“truth”) across its forehead; when its task is done the aleph is erased, leaving only “met” (“death”). Tony Stark created the Iron Man armor to protect those who can not protect themselves, hence the form of the golem’s head in this papercut, backed with cut-up comics featuring clay and mud, and watercolors by the artist to imbue the piece with a handmade element to mirror the creation of the golem.

At the top are the three Hebrew letters which make the word “emet,” obscured through overlapping to maintain the secret of the golem’s power; the letters are backed with cut-up Iron Man comics.

For details on the show – and on the reception on Sunday, February 10, at which I'll be giving a talk and leading a tour of the gallery – visit the PJCC website.

A big color catalog of all works on display is available for download as a PDF here.

"You did WHAT to my comics?!?" opening in Foster City, California

My next show opens next Friday in Foster City, and features new work inspired by Star Trek, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and more. I'll be giving a talk and leading a gallery tour on Sunday, February 10 at 2 p.m. (details on the flyer above) – I'd love to have you join me.

"You did WHAT to my comics?!?" in Foster City, California

Time for another show, this one in Foster City, California – at the Peninsula Jewish Community Center from January 4 to March 19, 2013.

Featuring new work inspired by Torah, Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, and Star Trek (such as "Live Long and Prosper," shown above).

I'll be posting some more images here soon, as well as a catalog... but in the meantime you can get details on the show and sign up for the artist reception/presentation on Sunday, February 10 on the PJCC website.