In March 2014, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to Israel once again with the intention of spending part of the time doing artwork.

Friends there had encouraged me to visit the Negev, the southern part of the country, which is considered dry, rocky and arid. Especially, they said, the Ramon crater, which is a very large (25 miles long) area of beautiful rock formations, trails, colors of the desert. Just what I see and portray in my work.

Len and I spent three days in Mitzpe Ramon, the small town near the crater, and it was everything they described and more. I felt at home there, and completely happy to be “in the earth”.

Returning to Jerusalem, Len departed after a few days of sightseeing, and I got to work for the next short week.

It’s always a difficult to begin, but the importance of uprooting oneself from familiar places, people and routines, and spending time with one’s art, cannot be overstated. Each time I have been “in residence” my art has moved more quickly than it would at home. Time c
anges and becomes elongated, and being free from home bound events and affairs leaves you alone with your work- no way out!

But as Len told me long ago, when away, your art becomes your friend, and you have a different relationship with it.

Take a look at some of the work I did there, and how it has changed since. You can also see why the crater was a good choice for a visit, as well as the ancient, history-laden rocks and hills of Jerusalem. Slide show below.

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