it began with a question
Illuminated Letters: Threads of Connection began with a question which is how things usually begin. A friend said to me “I sit in synagogue and there’s a story that comes up every year and I hear the story. The story has to do with a burning Torah scroll where the letters don’t get burned but the letters are released, and they go up to the heavens.” And she said “Sara, I think that maybe you could imagine what that might be about.”
thought exercise
I thought about it and thought about it some more and then thought about it some more.
What, I thought, could the letters be made of that they don’t burn up? I understood that energy has a form because of Albert Einstein’s research. I thought that perhaps these letters were made of a form that doesn’t burn, a type of energy that gets released and it becomes part of a greater whole.
the story visualized
As an artist, I thought the best way to tell this story was through visual media. I created panels that feature three letter Hebrew root words. I visually show how these roots give birth to concepts of universal values.
the media
The media I used in the creation of Illuminated Letters include acrylic paint, gold leaf illumination, calligraphy, fabrics, hand-cut paper, and computer created imagery combined with sewn silks and other fabrics.
the work itself
I created 18 sewn and 42 computer generated digitally printed museum gallery panels and mobile objects based on sacred geometry created out of colorful silk fabrics. The full exhibition of Illuminated Letters extends over 40 feet and requires up to 2,500 feet of space for display offering multiple visual and emotional connections and meanings.
your turn
My intent is to offer you the rare opportunity to self-actualize, inspire, and ignite personal thoughts about connections to nature, the world, and perceptions about the universe. The work reflects decades of my study with international linguistic experts about the roots of ancient words, creating visual pathways for you to discover your unique connections.
