Multi-Talents: The Visual Arts & Opening Winter Concert

For weeks we have been working to get the new art exhibit ready for the January 8th opening and for our first concert of the winter season.  It's such a beautiful exhibit that I am excited to share it.

Photo below:  The entrance into the art exhibit.

The entire LRC (Language Resource Center) was repainted as with every new exhibit. Platforms were built by Sammy (a very creative carpenter at the Jerusalem Center) and pictures were framed and hung with great precision. Bios and photos of the artists were prepared and a lot of preparation was done behind the scenes to get everything ready for the exhibit.  We were very excited to share it with the public.  

Neomi Weinstein, curator, was the mastermind who organized this event.  Without her expertise, it would have not been possible nor with such great success.  

She has worked in this capacity for more than 20 years and is a great asset as an employee to the Jerusalem Center. 

To the right is the overflow area of the art gallery is the art work by Keren Hanan. 
Keren (pianist) combines her love for music and art and expresses it abstractly with oil.

   Oil paintings by Keren Hanan:     "Venus"   "Evolving Takeoff"     "De Profundis"  

The artists entered the art exhibit with much anticipation and excitement. Oil paintings of Keren Hanan were displayed outside the front entrance and on three arched walls inside.  Through the use of color, texture and movement, Keren gives us a glimpse into the under-lying structure of a musical composition.

Artist Naomi Enoch pauses as she views the art exhibit for the first time.



Fresh flowers, a guest book and name plaques were prepared so the visitors 
could become familiar with the artists and their artworks.

  Paintings by Sivan Rotem: "Squills"  "The Jordan River" "Dream in Autumn"    "Sunset"   "Jordan River"  "Jerusalem of Gold"

Sivan Rotem, soprano and painter, is one of Israel's most versatile artists. Born in Buenos Aires, she was raised at Kibbutz Afikim and at the age of nine began studying the violin with Professor Valley Blutner. Sivan was also the Concert Master of the Kibbutz Young Symphony Orchestra. 

"Anemones"

Sivan Rotem renders nature in oil paint and started painting seven years ago. Her oil paintings are dedicated to the Landscapes of Israel and the places where she has sung around the world.

Sivan Rotem:  "Aspirations" 

Sculptures by Mina Haas 

The concept behind her sculptures is “to give expression to music, a major part of my professional life, as well as to aesthetics, womanhood, motherhood, and beauty, all of which embody romantic and feminine sensitivity. I try to convey in my sculptures the feelings aroused by abstract music and emphasize the poetic flow of the soft curved feminine lines that reflect the flow of the music.”

Each of these performers creates unspoken music through their art work. 
 I love this sculpture by Mina Haas. 

Photo: Yuval Kaminkovsky, violist.

Yuval articulates himself through photography. 

 A retired member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuval Kaminkovsky divides his artistic activities between chamber and solo recitals, private viola teaching and photography.

Yuval is a self-taught photographer. He finds great similarity between photography and music making. In both mediums, he creates a personal representation of the subject, a scene, or a musical score.

Sculptures:  Mina Haas and Naomi Enoch

Mina Haas

"I try to convey in my sculptures the feelings aroused by abstract music and emphasize the poetic flow of the soft curved feminine lines that reflect the flow of the music.”  Mina Haas

"Poem of Ecstasy"

Keren Hanan is emotionally attached to each artwork she creates and states: "When I paint inspired by a musical piece, it is like a choreography, working with space and time, expressing emotions, the dynamism of a thought, conveying the energy and inner forces that come from the music into a visible medium, a meta communication of a behavior."

Chaim Topol uses pencil in his portraits.  He is a theatrical and film performer, singer, actor, comedian, artist, writer, producer and painter. He is best known for his role as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” on both stage and film. 

He has been nominated for an Academy Award and a Tony Award and has won two Golden Globe Awards.

Chaim Topol is an actor, director, producer, writer, singer, philanthropist and an artist.

It was a privilege to meet Chaim. He was such a gentleman and delightful to talk with.

Chaim Topo and Keren Hanan.
Keren, pianist, is a Steinway artist. 

The topic of motherhood is very important to both 
Mina Hass and Naomi Enoch and prevails in their sculptures.

Mina was thrilled to see her sculptures on display and said, "Only at the Mormon University would my artwork be so beautifully displayed.  I am so thrilled!" 

Mina’s concept behind her sculptures is “to give expression to music, a major part of my professional life, as well as to aesthetics, womanhood, motherhood, and beauty, all of which embody romantic and feminine sensitivity."

Mina has performed in Israel and has toured the United States and Europe.  She was a member of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra for 40 years, playing as soloist of the oboe and the English horn

The sculptures of  

Mina Hass and Naomi Enoch 

 parallel their lives closely and many
of their works are focused on
a musical theme. 

Bronze sculptures by 

Naomi Enoch

Naomi Enoch works in bronze, ceramic and Papier Mâché as exhibited in this violin.

Mina Haas works in bronze, ceramic and polymers. This polymer sculpture was spectacular! Mina is an oboist and English horn performer.

Naomi Enoch, cellist, displays one of bronze sculptures.

Mina Haas has performed in Israel and has toured the United States and Europe. She was a member of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra for 40 years, playing as soloist of the oboe and the English horn.

Shosh Riseman mainly paints portraits in oil, ink and acrylic.  She was born in 1948 in a British detention camp to her Holocaust survivor parents. She graduated with a BA in Music and Philosophy. She furthered her music education studying composition both in Israel and abroad.

Shosh has composed music and has worked as a musical manager and arranger to over 100 productions in various Israeli theaters including documentaries and short films, dance performances and in the educational television. For almost 40 years, Shosh has taught Vocal Expression in many Drama Schools and received Landau Prize in 2011 and the he Composer Fringe Theatre Award in 2015. 

Paintings by Shosh Riseman

Keren Hanan, internationally acclaimed concert pianist and artist, 

has given recitals performed with leading orchestras throughout the world. 

The artists will be coming back to perform musical numbers in a short recital and

 tour of the Jerusalem Center, January 20th.  We certainly look forward to their return.

In 2000, Jordan River Village, was founded by Chaim Topol.  This is a retreat center where children of all backgrounds living with serious illnesses can just be kids. The center’s goal is “to enrich their lives by creating fun-filled, memorable, empowering, medically sound and safe camping experiences.”  During the holidays, children come with their families at no cost. Chaim is chairman of the board and all proceeds from the sale of his drawings go to this project.

Rivka Golani, recognized as one of the outstanding violists of modern times, has been a source of inspiration to many composers.  More than 350 works have been composed for Rivka, including over 80 concertos, a record matched by no other violist in history.

Rivka started painting rather late in life. She expresses herself through oil paintings, acrylic, etc. and tries to squeeze some time for her hobby which brings her great pleasure.

       Paintings below: Rivka Golani

                                        "Mother and Child"                                                          "Blaze"

Rivka has performed as a soloist with many of the world’s most prominent orchestras. She has made countless CD recordings with many distinguished orchestras and received endless awards from around the world. Rivka is an inspiring teacher who draws students from all over the world to her classes at London’s Trinity Laban College of Music and Dance. Rivka’s viola was made by the renowned maker, Otto Erdesz.

This is a photo of a life size painting by Rivka Golani of the chief of a Blackfoot Indians.  

As artistic director of Fort MacLeod Music Festival (Alberta, Canada) for seven years, she has developed a special collaborative relationship with the Canadian First Nation Blackfoot and thus the painting of their chief is permanently displayed in the gallery there.

Rivka started painting rather late in life. She expresses herself through oil and acrylic.

Sivan Rotem has sung in five continents, in prestigious opera houses and concert halls and has collaborated with many distinguished conductors.  She has had a very a prolific and successful singing career. 

More oil paintings by Sivan Rotem:  "Sunset"   "Lupines"   "Zion River"   "Jerusalem of Gold"

Naomi Enoch and her sons.

It was time for the 8 PM concert to start so everyone went into the auditorium.

Neomi Weinstein introduced the artists who were seated in the audience 
with their families and friends before the concert began.

Yuval Kaminkovsky was introduced to a full house before the concert began.

Carmel Quartet

THE CARMEL QUARTET, founded in 1999, is one of the longest-standing and most versatile chamber ensembles in Israel. The quartet has won prizes and awards, including First Prize in the “Prague-Vienna-Budapest” string quartet competition. The Quartet has appeared in concerts in Israel, Europe and the USA, including a concert at Carnegie Hall.

In 2007, the quartet established a concert series with explanations and commentaries entitled “Strings and More” which aims to enrich the listening experience by placing the compositions performed within a wider cultural context. The series is directed by the quartet’s violist, Dr. Yoel Greenberg, a lecturer in the department of music at Bar-Ilan University who studied musicology at The Hebrew University and at Princeton. The other quartet members — Rachel Ringelstein, Yonah Zur and Tami Waterman — enrich the explanations with  theatrical excerpts and literary examples. 

"Strings and More" has enjoyed both critical and popular acclaim in Jerusalem, 

Tel-Aviv and Haifa and has been performed in the USA, the United Kingdom and in Greece. 

 Keren Hanan and her mother.  

It was a very successful event and and a wonderful way to start our new

season of winter concerts.   Heartfelt thanks goes 

to everyone who worked so hard to make it spectacular!