PAINTING • SCULPTURE • CERAMICS • PUBLISHING • WORKSHOPS

STANWOOD HOUSE

BEZALEL-LEVY: ARTIST COLLABORATION

BEZALEL-LEVY COLLBORATION

Text and Images related to the Bezalel-Levy Collaboration.

Bezalel-Levy is the combined signature of Chaim Bezalel and Yonnah Ben Levy. We have been collaborating since 1990 on mixed media paintings combining photography and oils, oil pastels, or acrylics on rice paper, canvas, or linen. We work individually as well as collaboratively in two and three dimensional art.

American Scrolls

The idea of “American Scrolls” came out of our own experience. Returning to America afer many years, we did not know that we would be crossing the continent, and how often. We simply fell in love with the landscapes in the East and decided to try out a new style. We had been collaborating on mixed-media paintings on rice paper before, but the expanses we saw in America drew us toward a panoramic format. We made many visits to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other museums to visit the Oriental Art exhibits to study and enjoy. The Seattle Art Museum was first established with only a collection of Oriental art. We wanted to adapt some of the styles and formats of this tradition, though we have not always been orthodox in our approach. Finally, the places depicted are places that have meaning for us. CLICK ON THUMBNAIL FOR FULL IMAGE.

Our Town (page 1 – Stanwood, page 2 – NYC, etc.)

We live in an historic house on Main Street at the end of the old brick road. “Our Town” is every town with its Main Street, its old timers and newcomers, and its unique ambience and history. Stanwood, Washington (population 8800) is growing and changing. These paintings are a work of preservation, as are the following pages depicting scenes from other towns we have lived in, including New York City. More paintings of NYC can be previewed on Chaim’s section of this website. NYC – Return for Redemption

https://youtu.be/YqENpvxv-Pk

East & West, Near & Far

The title, “East and West, Near and Far,” circumnavigates the globe. Many of these compostitions are from the homes of people we have known and loved, including some notables. Influenced by the still life tradition, the paintings are elaborately framed. Stated sizes do not include the frame.

Nature

Throughout our career, we have always found joy, even exultation in nature. These paintings are selected from 35 years of our mutual love of the out-of-doors.

https://youtu.be/cDQmi3W_PLo

Touching on Place

A series of paintings begun in 1991 depicting architectural elements in Israel which illustrate the complex and layered history of the land.

Ashkelon – Classical Muse

A series including paintings, ceramics, and sculpture by the individual artists as well as collaborative works. Many of these subjects are inspired by Roman ruins found within a short walk from our second home in Ashkelon, Israel. Some of these works were exhibited at Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology in 2019.

https://youtu.be/LNDoUzUubX0

Dying of Romanticism

The exhibit, “Dying of Romanticism” was first presented in the gallery of the Jerusalem Theatre during the Jerusalem International Film Festival in 1996. It is a meditation on the roots of Romanticism with a heavy dose of Orientalism. The inspiration struck one day, several years earlier, when atmospheric changes, brought on by a heat wave, caused local television reception to fade out and programs from Egypt were received instead. Chaim grabbed his camera and started photographing the television screen, interference and all. This began a process of several years, at first searching for Arabic movies between stations on the dial of an old black and white TV. Later he transferred these images, often editing them into montages on sheets of rice paper. Yonnah then painted the black and white images with oil pastels, sometimes adding gold foil.  

https://youtu.be/g0lf3fIQkhU

Powwow

gallery and link to youtube

Powwow

gallery and link to youtube

Judaica

A series including paintings, ceramics, and sculpture by the individual artists as well as collaborative works. Many of these subjects are inspired by Roman ruins found within a short walk from our second home in Ashkelon, Israel. Some of these works were exibited at Cambridge Museum of Classical Archaeology in 2019.

2 + 15 =

MUSIC

My musical background began in the bathtub, when I  was a baby. My mother would sing to me, "The headbone's connected to the neckbone..." She had a collection of 78 rpm records of folk music, mostly from the 40's, when she had hung out with some of the artists. I was also steeped in classical music from the radio, as well as every other kind; you name it. As a teenager, I hung out in Greenwich Village, where I learned to pick guitar and listen to jazz. Yet, it wan't until I was middle-aged that I began to write my own songs. I spent 10 years in a string band and then assembled my own groups to record and perform. I have written about 50 songs to date.

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9915 270 St. NW, Stanwood, WA 98292

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