Some of you know, my beloved grandma Mary Kleinhandler passed away on April 16, 2011. She and my grandfather, Arthur Kleinhandler were a source of great strength and inspiration. As you can imagine, her passing marked the end of an era for our family. In dealing with the loss and grief I found comfort in involving myself in the creation of this…
Here is the custom mezuzah I created for the front door of the new building for the National Museum of American Jewish History at Independence Mall in Philadelphia, PA. What an honor! I used the architecture of the building and their logo for my inspiration. The piece is made of etched fine and sterling silver, copper and terra cotta from the new building. It…
What makes a gift meaningful? Is a hand-crafted present that you make yourself more personal than something produced on a wide-scale? Does the utility of the object make a difference? Yes, and yes! Okay, I’ve got a pretty obvious bias being a craftsperson, but I adamantly believe that objects transcend their mere materiality and become personally meaningful when you understand…
To me, the care and intention behind the creation of an object is what constitutes it’s sacred quality. The personalized articulation of patterns and textures from hand-made pieces make them that much more tangible and impacting as gifts created out of a very human love and compassion. These sentiments are what brought Ashley Teague, a previous student of mine from…
To my dear clients– commissioned work is different than a previously created piece in so many ways. A commissioned piece is a creative partnership between the artist and the client. And, since this process is creative, original, dynamic and involves more in-depth discussions. The costs are greater, but then so is the value. Bear in mind, that what is created…
Dear People, There has been a great shift in my work and in my life. Here is what has been happening– On November 15th, wIth less than 72 hours left on my Kickstarter Campaign I miraculouly received this email from the Dalai Lama’s assistant: At that point we still…
Hello Everybody, Last week I began making cardboard mock-ups of the Torah Crown you all helped fund on the Kickstarter. Here are some pictures of the process: Initial sketch…
Hello Everybody, After the His Holiness Dalai Lama endorsed the artwork, I had the courage to send the proposal– Art for Prayer and Peace: A Bridge to Oneness to His Holiness Pope Francis. Today I received a letter on his behalf saying that, “He appreciates the devoted sentiments which prompted this throughtful presentation.” and “The Holy Father gives the assurance…
Hi Everybody, Work on the Oneness Project has been coming along splendidly. I have made a second cardboard mock-up of the Japanese Shin Torah Crown and tested it on 3 Torahs. It fits great! So, I was able to purchase the copper sheet and gold leaf. I’ll start the copper work soon– and will hopefully be posting some videos of…
Hello everyone, I’ve been so grateful to have the privilege to make this amazing piece of art– that will bring more understanding and compassion to the world! This BLOG post is all about the process of making the art. So expect lots of pictures. Last I updated you, the paper mock ups fit on the Torah and I had ordered the…
Last Sunday, when I was in my neighborhood– the Oceanview District of San Francisco– walking my dog Zev, I passed the Cosmopolitan Baptist Church– which had just finished a service. I could tell because lots of upbeat people were coming out of the church and jovially socializing. Now– David, Kaleb and I had attended a church service there about two years…
Hi Everybody, After an almost two month break, I got back to work on the Shin Torah Crown. It took a few days, and at some points two torches, but I managed to get those suckers soldered! This four part hollow form is one of the most technically challenging pieces I’ve ever made. I’ve loved every minute of it. Here’s…