Teaching kids how to cut paperat URJ Camp Newman

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.

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"

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

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"

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!

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

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

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"

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

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"

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"

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

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"

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

Briskin commission:In-progress photo

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.

Hear, O Israel

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.)

"Paper Midrash" at the JCCOC --Thanks for a great show!

The JCCOC show is now officially over, and it went very well -- thanks to everyone who suported me, came down, bought work, etc.

Keep your eyes on this web site, as I'll soon be announcing some details on the pieces that *didn't* sell during the show and are still available for purchase. In the meantime, you can check out the show catalog on my website.

"Paper Midrash":Miriam's Well and Jerusalem

Two more pieces currently on display at the "Paper Midrash" show through February 26 at the Merage Jewish Community of Orange County.

On the left: "Spring Up, O Well"; on the right: "Jerusalem." And both of these pieces are already sold -- if you want to buy something before the show is over, head down to the gallery and check it out! More details at my web site.

Paper Midrash:Fountains of the Deep

“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.” (Bereshit/Genesis 7:11).

This is a different take on Noah's Ark -- different for me, at least. Instead of focusing on the rains falling from above, I'm looking at the waters from below. In verse 7:17 we read, "the waters increased, and bore up the ark" -- and so it is here. Still finalizing the colors a bit, but it's pretty close to complete. And check out this detail shot.


Comics fans, be on the lookout for work by Jack Kirby, John Romita Jr., Alex Ross, Steve Ditko, and more -- pieces of The Punisher, The Avengers, Spider-Man, Superboy, Aquaman, Batman ... oh, so much good stuff!

If you like this and want to see more like it IN PERSON, please go check out my show called "Paper Midrash" at the Merage Jewish Community of Orange County through February 26. More details are available on my website.

Photos from the"Paper Midrash" Opening Reception

Just wanted to share a few pix from the opening reception of "Paper Midrash" a few weeks ago. The show is on through February 26 at the Merage Jewish Community of Orange County, and there are still some pieces available for purchase -- if you haven't been down there yet, check it out! (And thanks go out to RJW, who snapped some of these pix!) The first one below is a composite I made of two photos -- Hockney, look out!

A New Hope

Just completed this piece as a surprise housewarming gift for very good friends of mine.

It should be fairly obvious from a distance that this is my version of "Our Lady of Guadalupe," with a twist. It's called "A New Hope" because... well, that should be pretty obvious from the detail shots below. As always, this looks SO MUCH BETTER in person than in photographs.

"Paper Midrash" Catalog

I hope you've been down to the JCCOC to see "Paper Midrash." If you haven't yet done so, and want to see what's on the walls, donwload the PDF exhibition catalog and check it out.

"Paper Midrash" in theLos Angeles Jewish Journal

There's a nice profile of my work in the "Bloggish" section of the Los Angeles Jewish Journal; check it out here.

"Paper Midrash" Opening Reception

The reception went very well -- lots of people came out to see the work, and I was pleased to see those red dots going up to mark sales. I'll have some pix to share soon, but in the meantime here's one of me at the gallery by my friend Randy Workman.

And check out "Bleeding Cool Comic Book News" for a nice feature on the show.

"Paper Midrash" in the Santa Clarita Signal

Today's Santa Clarita Signal features a brief story about me and my show, with some pictures of me in my studio cutting. Check it out here.

The Legacy of Jacob(Paper Midrash)

My upcoming show, "Paper Midrash," includes a series of smaller works I'm calling "From the Genizah" -- named for the traditional Jewish act of burying old and tattered holy books. I rescued some books from the "discard" pile at our synagogue and have used them to new purpose in this series.

Above you see "The Legacy of Jacob," which takes its title from the page itself and is an interpretation of Jacob's dream. In Bereshit (Genesis) chapter 28 we read, "And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it." Note that the word "ascending" comes before "descending" -- what does that tell us about the angels?

See this -- and more! -- at "Paper Midrash," at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County from January 24 through February 27, 2010. The opening reception is this Sunday, January 24, from 2 to 5 p.m. I've posted a full catalog of works in the show in PDF format here.

And All the People Saw the Voices(Paper Midrash)

This is a piece I've titled, "And All the People Saw the Voices," after the verse in Exodus 20:18 concerning the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Hebrew word for "voices" is also the word for "lightning" -- hence the symbolism here, also representing the thunder and lightning surrounding Mount Sinai. The rabbis teach that God's voice split into seven voices, which split into seventy languages -- allowing all people across the world to understand.

It's another in my series of comic book papercuts. See this -- and more! -- at "Paper Midrash," at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County from January 24 through February 27, 2010. The opening reception will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on January 24.

Luachot haBrit(Paper Midrash)

Another in my series of comic book papercuts, titled "Luachot haBrit" (Tablets of the Covenant). Yes, I've got the first ten letters of the Hebrew alphabet in there, for those of you who wish to look; the aleph is pretty easy, but the rest get more and more hidden.

See this -- and more! -- at "Paper Midrash," at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County from January 24 through February 27, 2010. The opening reception will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on January 24.

Paper Midrash featured at Kirby-Vision

Please head on over to the very awesome Kirby-Vision blog of the Kirby Museum; you'll see a small feature on my work and the upcoming show, "Paper Midrash."

Updated my website!

Just gave my website a minor overhaul to reflect the upcoming show -- you can check it out at www.NiceJewishArtist.com.

The show, "Paper Midrash," will be at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County from January 24 through February 27, 2010: "Paper Midrash: New Work by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik." The opening reception will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on January 24.

Make Yourself an Ark(Paper Midrash)

Taking a break from showing the comics work I'm producing to feature this Noah's Ark piece titled after the biblical injunction from God to Noah: "Make Yourself An Ark." It's a play on the old plastic model kits I used to enjoy when I was a kid, when every piece was connected to every other piece on these spindly plastic frames.

In the piece you can see Noah and his wife, as well as their three sons and daughters-in-law. Why all the serving dishes? Because Noah had to feed each animal its own particular kind of food, in its own way. As for that glowing sphere above the ladder...? You'll have to come to the opening reception for my show and ask me in person what it means.

The show will be at the Merage Jewish Community Center of Orange County from January 24 through February 27, 2010: "Paper Midrash: New Work by Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik." The opening reception will be from 2 to 5 p.m. on January 24.