Live Long and Prosper

You know that awkward moment at your Thanksgiving family celebration? When you run out of things to talk about or are wondering if you'll make it through alive? You can say, "hey, look what I found on the internet – it's got Jewish stuff and Star Trek" and watch the room light up with joy. They'll all thank you.

I made this new papercut which I'm calling "Live Long and Prosper"; it's based on the priestly blessing ... and yeah, Star Trek. Don't know why? Seriously? LMGTFY. It started out as an illustration I drew for a siddur for my wife, and I've now given it the "paper tefillah" treatment, backing it with Star Trek comics, watercolor, and pieces from some genizah-bound books featuring the words of the blessing.

This cut is going to be featured in my next show – which will be in San Mateo, California, in January. And I'll probably have some prints available; I get the feeling someone may want one. If you do, contact me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Paper Tefillah series: "MaAriv Aravim"

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.