Leora

Interview with Elke Reva Sudin

What is your training?
Growing up I had very little access to art or the artistic mentality. My parents are not artists and growing up in a religious school with no art program did not help either. I did what I could on my own but it was not until the age of 16 when I attended a pre-college program at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) that I understood for the first time how representing subject through mark making could be such an enlightening experience.

College furthered what I had gotten a taste of in pre-college. Each of my 4 years gave me a deeper understanding of how any art is conceived, designed and constructed. I received a BFA in Illustration at Pratt Institute, an art and design college in Brooklyn.

What motivates you to do art?
Drawing from life. I enjoy the experience of translating one mode of experience into another. The illustration is an end product of my excitement to study and reflect without too much questioning during the process.

What in particular do you find difficult about doing “Jewish” art? Any conflicts?
The problem with “Jewish” art is that Judaism is built on the concept that God is infinite and we are contained within God. Therefore all our our earthly experiences are illusions because everything that we see as being separate, is really one unified entity. Whenever I attempt a “Jewish” art piece, it seems pointless to show material garments, ritual items and customs, because those only exist for us to find a way to connect with the ephemeral. It boils down and boils down until not even a blank white piece of paper to gives off true meaning. There is a reason we are commanded not to make graven images, people get absorbed in the image and not the meaning. I think this idea has helped Judaism survive for so long by the fact that no matter where we are in the world, we as Jews have no attachment to ritual as connected to physical things. The idea survives even when large portions of the population is wiped out.

My connection to Judaism is through action. So it is rather my process of creating the art, in which I connect to the infinite connections and acknowledging the spiritual path that it follows, that bring me to an end product which I feel is Jewish. Because there is no separation between my being and my artistic product, the product is inherently spiritual.

What would you suggest to someone who wants to learn art? Illustration?
The best advice I can give is to draw from life. Often times we draw from experiences, but our memories have a funny way of selecting what we remember, which is very limiting. Drawing from life opens up the artist to nuances and connections that would be otherwise hidden. Using our hands, we as artists have an easier time connecting to different parts of our brains, resulting in “happy accidents,” and allow us to take something physical and transform it into something representational and meaningful.

I studied illustration because it takes the principles of art and design and applies them in a more directed setting suitable for performing commercial work compared to what is generally taught in the contemporary fine art educational setting. Direction is important, because without focus artists tend to turn to their own desire to be admired by others, rather than contributing their abilities to the enlightenment of the public.

Can you tell us about the Hipsters and Hassids project?

I constructed an illustrated book titled “Hipsters and Hassids: The Youth of Williamsburg North and South.” It is an investigative illustrative study which discovers the surprising similarities these seemingly polar opposite communities have in common. I went inside the neighborhoods, with a strong focus on the Hassidic side, particularly concerning the women, to see first hand what life is like behind the surface is like. One of the biggest misunderstandings (and commonalities) is that both sides are so off-putting. On the Hipster side they sell their look and lifestyle as a product. Life is valued by the self absorbed fascination with the party, the outfit, and obscure references to music and culture, but lacking any meaning which had once held strong associations to those things. On the Hassidic end of things they are very protective of preserving their customs and way of life and outside influences are harmful in that respect. The truth is that people are the same everywhere, there will always be people open and close-minded, self absorbed and absorbed in other things, those of respect and those who bring shame to the human race, but the important thing is to remember the unity that all people share. We are all a part of this world for a reason and an obsession with particular fashions just aint it.

Elke is looking for publishers and those interested in self-published copies.
selections from the book are featured here:
http://www.elkerevasudin.com/portfolio/williamsburg.html

Please check out her website: http://www.elkerevasudin.com
and blog updated constantly with new illustrations:
http://www.elkerevasudin.com/blog.html

Watery Wednesday at the Farm

For more watery photos, visit Watery Wednesday:

Traffic by Jill Caporlingua

For more art by Jill Caporlingua, visit http://www.gallerychaos.net/.

Upcoming: tomorrow I will have a special guest interview with a wonderful illustrator. Hope you will visit then, too!

Ruby Tuesday at Washington Crossing, PA

Watch out: the bridge may be icy (not a chance on this August day).

Here’s a sculpture of George Washington crossing the Delaware River with U.S. flags waving.

I was wondering if this red leaf signifies fall is coming? Or is it a sign of an unhealthy tree, that is turning red too soon?

For more photos with a little or a lot of red, visit Ruby Tuesday, hosted by Mary:

Today’s Flowers: Sedum

I grow two types of sedum in front of my house. The one in the above photo is a low lying plant that I bought several years ago. I pulled out some plants growing next to this sedum in the spring, and this summer I was rewarded with these tiny pink flowers.

This larger sedum plant I bought and planted in the early spring. You can see my yellow rudbeckia growing behind it.

Here’s an up close look at the sedum. I suppose they will get more pink and less green as fall approaches.

Weekly Review with Wildflowers

Images from this Past Week

Click on any thumbnail to visit the post.

Elsewhere in Blogosphere

• Ilana-Davita tells us ten reasons to visit Italy, and she also gives ideas on how to keep kosher while traveling in Italy.
• Like mother like daughter: the blog of Nadine, who is the mom of EllieVellie (Ellie tells me she translates the comments for her mother)
• I do like design tutorials, especially ones that teach watercolor effects. The top one on this post looks nice, but then something about the graphic bothers me. I keep thinking it’s almost the Jewish month of Elul, and then it’s almost Rosh Hashana – “Teshuva, tfillah u’tsedaqa ma’aviren et roa’ ha-gezaira” (repentance, prayer and charity avert the evil decree) – obviously, the post was written by someone who has never been touched by a Rosh Hashana service. Read Jonathan Sacks on Teshuva, Tefilla and Tzedakah.
• I just started reading this book Caspian Rain, book review by Jew Wishes.

Windows of Roberts Florals

These photos were taken in June at a Random Acts of Fun night on Raritan Avenue in Highland Park, New Jersey. Stores show off their wares in a fun way, and at this night there was a concert and face painting, too.

A friend once remarked you can buy flowers for cheap at the supermarket in Highland Park. Or you can buy a stunning, custom bouquet at Roberts Florals.

For more window views, visit:

Watercolor Effects on a Creek Walk

For more watery photos, visit Watery Wednesday:

Ruby Tuesday at Howell Farm

Does anyone know what kind of vegetation this is? I don’t think it’s swiss chard; the stems don’t look as coarse. Update: I have been informed by some of my readers (thank you, EGWow, Carletta and Jim) that these are beets. Jim says they need some fertilizer. I guess the farm folks are paying more attention to the animals than the garden.

For more posts with a little red or a lot of red, visit Ruby Tuesday:

Washington Crossing and Howell Farm