Wandering Towards The Divine
A Collection of Interfaith Portraits
Made possible by a grant from the Long Beach Arts Council
All my life, I lived in heavily Jewish-populated areas - Chicago, Brooklyn, and Jerusalem - where shvitzing and chutzpah were part of the culture.
Moving to Long Beach in 2020, I was unnerved by - despite its commitment to diversity - the white, Christian norm that permeated this city. There were Jewish people but no Jewishness that I could vibe to in the culture. An unspoken agreement for “normal” filled the air, that I felt outside of. Where was my place? Who were my people?
This project was conceived of as a way to find an answer to that question. I hoped that by connecting to spiritual Californians of all varieties who also felt Othered from the dominant culture, it would lead me somewhere, or at least help me feel less lonely.
Ironically, it was my encounter with painting Curtis - a white, Christian composer for a Long Beach church - that transformed how I looked at my search.
“I’m not that religious” was one of the first words out of Curtis’ mouth when we sat down to paint. What made sense to him in life was music. His faith was a lens/garment/tool that he used to connect to his roots, to craft a meaningful life, and to give back to community.
Yes, I thought. That’s exactly it.
Belonging and faith to me isn’t about fitting into a category or philosophy. It’s about a rhythmic approach to life, an openness in the search, and a willingness to put one’s Truth aside to consider the possibility of another’s.
I sat with each Wandering participant for an hour, painting them while they spoke. All of the pieces were done live, without modifications after our sessions. It is an attempt to capture a moment, an essence.
Each conversation revolved around the struggles and confusion of an ordinary human life. Their beliefs (whether agreeing or disagreeing with their faith tradition) were interwoven into how they creatively fashioned their own pulsating existence.
So this show is about them, and about realizing that my place is with those who can feel the music. Who have the courage to dance. Who act on the need to create change.
And it’s also about all of you.
Everyone here tonight I met in the past 12 months since I got the Covid vaccine and ventured out into the California sunshine to see who I could find. (Plus the extra web of those they brought.)
Some of you lent me your car when I needed it, or warmly let me into your gallery when I wanted to talk about art. Some of you just had a few thoughtful words to share, and that was enough.
Each invitee, through their words, actions, and presence helped me feel a bit more like that the world could be a magical place we build together, filling the inner void of isolation and loneliness. Recharging us with energy to look deeper and share our gifts.
Every wanderer needs a tribe of fellow wanderers. Thanks for being a part of spinning this creative spiritual web with me.
Now let’s have some fun.
*shvitzing- Yiddish, sweating
*chutzpah- Yiddish, audacity (see: Larry David)
