Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets

Inspired by the words of Proverbs (1:20) and the streets of Portland, this is my latest papercut: "Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets."

It's made with cut-up comics featuring super hero moms, including Jessica Jones, Jessica Drew (Spider-Woman), Greer Nelson (Tigra), Sue Storm (the Invisible Woman), and Jubilation Lee (Jubilee).

The "wall of moms" we're seen in the news lately – with moms in yellow, linking arms to protest police brutality, federal kidnappings, and to promote the obvious truth that BLACK LIVES MATTER – is a wonderful visual, and made me think of the words we read in the Book of Proverbs, in which Wisdom is personified as a woman crying out in the streets to be heard.

Wisdom Cries Out in the Streets
24" x 18"
Cut-up comics
2020

Aishet Chayil

This is a papercut called "Aishet Chayil" ("Woman of Valor") I made for friend in memory of his wife; it's a very personal interpretation of the words from the book of Proverbs:

A woman of valor, who can find? Her value is far beyond rubies and pearls.
Her husband’s heart relies on her and he shall lack no fortune.
She does him good and not harm, all the days of her life.
Strength and dignity are her clothing...

This papercut is a portrait based loosely on a photograph of Julie wearing her pink jersey as the Honorary Bat Girl for the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is inspired structurally by Boticelli’s “Birth of Venus” and Modigliani’s portraiture.

The papercut is backed with cut-up comics featuring women of valor: predominantly Wonder Woman, whose star-spangled blue skirt and golden accessories are prominent, but also Sue Storm, Black Canary, Dazzler, Raven, Supergirl, and Spider-Girl.

The words of Aishet Chayil in Hebrew and in various English translations are central to the piece, while a caption in the gold ring reads, “They called me Wonder Woman.”

In addition to the comics used in this papercut, it also contains pieces of Mortimer J. Cohen’s Pathways Through the Bible (JPS, 1966), the CCAR Shabbat Manual (KTAV, 1972), Dr. Joseph Hertz’s Authorised Daily Prayer Book (Bloch Publishing, 1954), the 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers Calendar, The All-Star Story of the Dodgers (Stadium Comics, 1979), and a ticket from the May 10, 2009 Dodgers game.

Grandchildren are the Crown of their Elders

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.

Housewarming papercut:In wisdom, a house is built.

Just completed this piece for friends of ours, leaving town and setting up home in a new place -- the verse is from proverbs: "B'chokhma, yivneh bayit" (In wisdom, a house is built). Around the verse I have their names, with some simple linear blue fields.