Sketching Out Blog: Sketches of art, watercolor, photos, recipes, books, interviews, Jewish topics, and Highland Park, New Jersey

Mother of Boys

tzitzit
My newest watercolor.

I could have called this post “Mother of Jewish Boys” or “Mother of My Boys.” I still don’t have a name for the actual painting. I was thinking of putting a softball in this still-life, but neither of my boys play baseball anymore.

For those that would like some explanation, the four-cornered garment that Jewish boys and men wear is called tzitzit, as it says in Numbers 15:38, Parshat Sh’lach:

Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them throughout their generations fringes in the corners of their garments

The blue book in the right corner is a prayer book, a siddur. That siddur happens to be the one many boys, including my boys, use in elementary school.

Ilana-Davita says

Very nice way of evoking your boys without actually showing them. I really like it.

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hihorosie says

That is so great - you're very talented! And thanks for the education along the way too. :)

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Leora says

Rosie, feel free to ask any questions on my "Jewish" content posts... I try to intersperse my post topics, so there's a little something for everyone.

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Jill says

Fantastic painting! It has so much depth. Looks like you could reach right in and grab it.
Jill

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phyllis says

just gorgeous.

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Leora says

Thanks, everyone. I like (and need) the encouragement. Need an idea and inspiration for my next painting; maybe a garden theme.

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Daniel Saunders says

I really like this too, especially the symbolic nature of the image.

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Leora says

Daniel, in a way, we do similar work. You explore Judaism through fiction. I use art to try to connect to Judaism.

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Raizy says

Just beautiful. I like the idea of adding a baseball, or basketball, or a cast-off sneaker, or some other object that reminds you of a typical boy's life.

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Leora says

Raizy, thanks. I was trying to think of what I could add to the still-life to make it more boyish, but my kids don't play much sports. They are addicted to certain computer games, but that's not something I wanted to celebrate in a painting. One does Boy Scouts, but the other dropped out.

I'll have to give it some thought, for when I'm ready to pick up this theme again.

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