Breads inspiration

We came from Israel almost four years ago.  

We have found many good things here in US, 

but one of the things that we have missed the most is good bread and pastry.

My husband likes to follow the news about food in NYC (he is working there) 

and he found that a bread chain from Israel named BREADS has opened a bakery there. 

It was immediately obvious to us that we would take the first opportunity to visit there.

www.thrillist.com/eat/new-york/10003/breads-bakery

www.facebook.com/BreadsBakery

Before long we found ourselves sitting there with a friend, eating excellent  pastry and enjoying good coffee. 

On the way back home many thoughts came to my mind: What is bread for me? for others?  Does bread symbolized something? and so on...

Bread is a basic food, a daily food. And, it represents the simple necessity of eating.

How  can I bring this pure idea to my art work?

I have chosen to create a shaft (of wheat) to represent the primal shape before it becomes bread.

As a symbol, the wheat or barley shaft represent fertility, abundance and fruitfulness, and  gratitude for a good harvest.

The shaft cane as I built it before reduction

Wheat and barley ready to be integrated in my works

Fun Spirals

Fun Spirals

I use spirals in my art all the time and I know it brings a piece of the world's truth into sight.

The Spiral is one of the oldest symbols that exists. An ancient symbol of evolution, it represents the cycle of life, growth and change. Our life is made from circles:  days, weeks, years. 

It seems we pass the same point over and over but it will always be from a different perspective.

The Spiral symbol reminds us to take these circles to a higher and more evolved level each time.

I did an art camp last week. One of the days was about Spirals.

We made edible spiral cookies

covering a glass bowl with the spirals

The beautiful result

I talked about the meaning of the Spiral symbol while they worked and I am sure that with the bowls they will take a resonant spirit of the Spiral.

If you would like to receive my recipe for Spiral cookies, to receive announcements when a new post is published, or to get news about my art work, click on the small square at the top-right of the blog 

Amit Talk

    Hello. I'm Amit, Yasmin son. I remember when the polymer clay had all started around a year ago.  even before mom started to work with clay she still was every artistic. I also like to do arts so mom taught me how to knit. She was taught  by her mom so every thing isn't so clear because it was a long time ago. I enjoy kiting and made three things. One scarf and two hats.
    So back to the clay. Even before she had started to sell the art works mom had let our friends work on some things on there own  I am not patent an enough to do a whole piece but I did try.
    It all started when my mom  had saw a similar bowl that's made of polymer clay in our aunts house at Israel. Than she thought about the she will once make one and at the end she did. The whole time mom had worked on polymer clay was... Joy full  enjoyable  hard, fun, glorious, shining from beginning to end and I have enjoyed It the whole way through. Also I have found out so many ways someone can have "technical difficulties" Its hard to count (Mom has a very hard time with all the new technology). I hope everyone will enjoy this blog because its something new. Like my Dad says "we only live once so we should enjoy and try new things and ideas while we can."

Why symbols?  Why Empowered?

I have been starting to feel that I'm looking for something that brings more meaning to my Millefiore polymer clay artwork and to my life.

 A path in that direction seems to have opened when a women came to my table at one of the art fairs I participate in and asked me if I might create items for her new Judaica shop.

I am an Israeli and Judaism is my background so I immediately started to try to integrate important symbols into my artwork: symbols like the Star of David (the Jewish Star), Hamsa (the palm symbol known throughout the Middle East as a symbol of protection),

The Pomegranate (abundance),the Fish (for fruitfulness) and the Dove (for peace.)

This creative effort has led me to think more deeply about these symbols and I have found that the meanings of the symbols have started to resonate with me, bringing me closer to the deep and ancient ideas and values they represent.  

This resonance has started me on a new, rewarding path.  Through my crafting the symbols offer me different views on the important meanings they carry and allow me to explore my feelings about them.  

I am now busy exploring other symbols which carry a personal or emotional significance to me: symbols that speak directly to me in some way, helping me understand

who I am, where I'm from, and where I might go.   They have empowered me....

I want to thank John Millspaugh for his help in making this first step. 

I invite you to join my blog (subscribe in the right top box) and become a partner in my journey.