Adam Greenberg and "Resilience"

Last night was the big event at Temple Ahavat Shalom; Adam Greenberg came and spoke for a couple of hours, and then spent time chatting with folks and signing stuff.

I sat with him and talked about "Resilience," and the meaning behind it, and he seemed very pleased. He shared with me that his perseverance is inspired by the history of the Jewish people, by our refusal to buckle under – by our tradition's lesson that we must not give up, no matter what stands in our way. He liked hearing about the parallels I drew between his story and that of Joseph, who overcomes a nearly constant barrage of obstacles and comes out on top.

He couldn't have the original – that was commissioned by a friend, and it's going to hang in his home – but Adam has print #10 of the limited edition, and I hope he enjoys it.

I still have a couple of giclée prints from the set available for purchase; only 12 were made, and they're archival ink on archival watercolor stock. Signed and numbered by me, and signed by Adam Greenberg as well. And a portion of the proceeds are being donated to Temple Ahavat Shalom, a non-profit organization. If you're interested, drop me an email.

"Resilience"

This is my latest completed commission: "Resilience."

You may not know the story of Adam Greenberg – and so a brief explanation is likely in order. He was an outfielder for the Chicago Cubs in 2005, known for being hit in the head on the first pitch of his only plate appearance. He was told he wouldn't play again – the injury was too severe, the pain unrelenting. He didn't get credit for that plate appearance, but determination and fan support encouraged the Miami Marlins to sign him to a one-day contract so he could get that "one at-bat" on the books, and so he did. He's playing again, thought not yet major league ball, but his story is one of perseverance and resilience – of not letting a bad situation take you down.

I made this papercut to represent that journey – and backed it with Wolverine comics, since he's the mutant hero known particularly for his healing power, allowing him to bounce back from injury and keep up the good fight. The structure of the piece is based on Greenberg's at-bat with the Marlins, and the rays are an allusion to the "one at-bat" poster his fans made and shared. Last, the broad spectrum of colors are a nod to Joseph, a biblical hero who also faced up to challenge after challenge, hurdle after hurdle, to make something of himself.

Adam Greenberg will be speaking live in Southern California at Temple Ahavat Shalom this October; for details on the event – where you can purchase one of only ten exclusive limited edition giclée prints of "Resilience" – click here. Or email me. That works too.

Telling stories by cutting paper... at camp

Two weeks ago I posted about what I do every summer at URJ Camp Newman – teaching kids to cut paper. Last week I posted about the campers' first projects: mizrach plaques. This is the third of my four posts about cutting paper at Camp Newman, and this one is about the big project: paper midrash.

Bereshit

All of the campers in the two-hours-a-day yetzirah group (and many in the one-hour-a-day hizdamnut group) made "paper midrash" – they used their newly-developed papercutting skills to tell a story from the Tanakh (Torah, prophets, and writings) or midrash, picking a story or theme that was personally meaningful and interpreting it in this medium.

Eden

The Giants

The Rainbow

Parting the Sea

David and Goliath: Kavannah

Samson

Others had more esoteric sources for their work, pulling ideas from Sefer haAgaddah or other books that I brought for inspiration.

Claws

Dwarvish

Li

Mad Man

Pillar of Fire

Time

Sus

Next time – my last post about the camp workshops – will feature photos of the finished group projects which we made as a gift for camp.

The making of "The Uncanny Ben Zoma"

The Uncanny Ben Zoma

My latest commission is in the hands of its new owner, so I'm pleased to share some photos with you here on my blog. Click on the pic above to see it bigger.

"The Uncanny Ben Zoma" measures 36" x 24" and comprises four panels representing some lines  from Pirkei Avot:

Who is wise? One who learns from every person.
Who is strong? One who overcomes their nature.
Who is rich? One who is satisfied with what they have.
Who is honored? One who respects all of creation.

Each panel is based on one of the four fundamental forces and features members of the X-Men; you can click on the pix below to see blown-up details from each section.

At the far right, “Who is wise?” Within the lines of electromagnetic force are Professor Xavier and Jean Grey. Professor X was the founder of the X-Men and the first headmaster of the Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters; Jean was a later leader of the school, and it was eventually rebuilt as the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning. As a nod to magnetism, at the center of this panel is a portion of Magneto – though often an enemy of the X-Men, at times in Xavier’s absence he has stepped in to lead the school.

 

“Who is strong?” features Wolverine and Rogue, renowned for their physical strength and abilities, but both of whom must battle against their nature. The strong nuclear force is the foundation of this panel, fitting as mutants are often referred to as “children of the atom.” Wolverine is continually at odds with his bestial, animal nature; to be truly he must not lose sight of his humanity. Rogue has, at times, aligned herself with the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and even as a member of the heroic X-Men she constantly struggles with her mutant power.

The third panel is “Who is rich?” and is built on the weak nuclear force, responsible for the hydrogen fusion at work in the center of our sun.  Angel is the heir and CEO of the multi-billion dollar Worthington Industries, and finds himself dealing with the question of what “rich” really means, and how he can use his wealth and his mutant ability for the betterment of all. Kitty originated as a younger, sunnier, member of the team; though faced with danger and death, she maintains her belief that the world is a wonderful place, if only we take the time to realize it.

The last panel is “Who is respected?” and features two key X-Men team leaders: Cyclops and Storm. They are respected for their abilities in leading a team, and in upholding the guiding principle of the X-Men: they stand up for all people, mutant or not. The panel structure is based on the force of gravity, which binds the planets in their orbits and all objects and people to one another.

"Number Theory: Heroes"

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.