Painting from the 90's

In 1999 I enjoyed a very productive week painting at "Rain's" Tucson home. I was just getting into the flow after a dry period of researching my roots. I was very happy about returning to Tucson where I had painted the desert during the late 60's. (photo by Rain)

Although I didn't mention it in my artists statements or even gave it much weight in my own paintings, the dragon did appear in a number of my paintings in the 90's. "Falling Star" came from sketching at Ramat Hanodiv Gardens near Zichron Yaacov. I have now renamed it to "Yellow Camel Dragon, Mustard and Falling Star".

Connecting with ancestors in Israel 1994

In 1994 I visited Israel. Pictured below: My train ride from Benjamina to Tel Aviv in 1994. Also notes from my travel sketches. Plus dragon motif Dutch and Italian antiques from Jerusalem museums.

One daughter pointed out to me, "Mom, the reason you see dragons in your work comes from your interest in your ancestor Jewish merchants. It started when you went to Israel" She has a point. I did look for and found dragons in Israel. I even found them hidden in the single image that symbolized to me Jews and their whole history. On a walk I spotted a rod iron gate between Pardes Hana and Karkur. The symbol of the "S" shaped metal at the top of the gate is similar to the motif in a museum Hanukkah Lamp from(1574) Holland. On the gate there is the Star of David centered between two scrolls. The scrolls are like the water of two rivers (Tigress and Euphrates also symbolized on the Israeli flag). The gate motif could be interpreted to be like the two dragons of Imperial China - a symbol of a nation. Although dragons are associted with Pegan symbolism, they have a historic place in the Middle East. Two cobras were the symbol of the Imperial Nubian Pharos. Also Imperial China and their two dragon state symbol did extend all the way to Persia.

The rod iron gate was very old and in bad repair and has been replaced since I was there. It was too badly beaten to photograph with respect to its owners so I made this sketch. I will always have that symbol of the gate as an emblem not only of Israel but of my Silk Road Jewish ancestors - symbolizing a little of what my ancestors might have been - amalgam binding the Far East with the Middle Eastern arts. They were merchants handling movement of goods and could have also handled ship ballast rod iron used decoratively on colonial architecture.