Featured Artist: Carol Buchman

The catalyst for this work was a move to Memphis, the buckle of the bible belt, from NY and Boston. The secular but cultural Jewish identity of the Northeast no longer worked in the deep south, sparking an interest and protective grip on my Jewishness that I didnt realize I had. The work explores identity, blessings, rituals and stories. It attempts to grapple with the issue of how jewish spiritualism, mysticism and biblical references can succeed in a painting in a modern context, not by looking back voyeuristically, historically, and nostalgically at the Jewish past but rather by finding content in Judaism that is relevant, alive and in the present. I am attempting to push boundaries between secular and spiritual art, as a female artist of the 21st century who lives in both worlds. My way to have a dialogue with my rich ancestry and to have a reverent is manifested through the act and product of painting The paintings are heavily layered with paint, glazes, lace, handmade papers, cloth, and heritage.

You can see more of her work at at http://www.urbanmensch.com/ and http://www.carolbuchman.net/