SABBATH
As a maker, creating Judaica enhances and defines my own sense of identity - as an Australian, an artist, a daughter, a mother, a Jew. To bring a new voice and contemporary aesthetic to a ritual object enhances the beauty and sacredness of the ceremony.
“Glass as a material is fragile, breakable. Not very much survives as material witness to history. That which remains is precious and treasured. Ede works in kiln cast glass. It is challenging material to work with, to mould to shape and to master. And although it is vulnerable it is weighty. It has real presence."
Dr Helen Light, Director, Jewish Museum of Australia. Catalogue essay 2002
Candlesticks, Blue and silver
lead crystal and anodised aluminium
180 x 30 x 60 mm, kilncast glass
SHABBATH CANDLES
Shabbos to me represents a coming together of shared time with family and friends. At home we have established our own rituals around the evening Kiddush. Like these Shabbos candlesticks the rituals evolve through time. Adapting to family dynamics as the children get older and our lifecycle changes. Yet what remains the same is our sharing of a sacred act. We have a ritual where we go around the table and share our dreams, our desires for the week ahead. Light and glass are synonymous. One reflects and dances off the other.
HAVDALAH SET
"Let us celebrate the breath of all living things and praise all essences" Marcia Falk, The Book of Blessings, Harper Collins, San Francisco 1996) Inscription on gumnut spice container. The gumnut and its cycle of life were the inspiration for this Havdalah set.
All photographs by David McArthur
Havdalah Set
Candleholder, spice container, Kiddush cup, 10 x 9 x 23cm, kilncast lead crystal, brushed aluminium base
Candlesticks, Clear and red
lead crystal and anodised aluminium
180 x 30 x 60 mm, kilncast glass
Candlesticks, Clear and blue
lead crystal and anodised aluminium
180 x 30 x 60 mm, kilncast glas
Candlesticks, Green and red
lead crystal and anodised aluminium
180 x 30 x 60 mm, kilncast glass
Kiddush Cups
10 X 6 cm, kilncast glass
Kiddush Cups
10 X 6 cm, kilncast glass
Kiddush Set
10 x 22 x 34 cm, kilncast pink glass and
Prunus pensylvanica / Cherrywood
Kiddush Set
10 x 14 x 30 cm, kilncast blue glass and
Acer saccharum/BirdseyeMaple
Kiddush Set
10 x 22 x 34 cm, Kilncast clear glass and
Acacia melonoxlyon/Australian Blackwood
Kiddush Set
10 x 22 x 34 cm, Kilncast lead crystal glass and
Cedrus/Australian Red Ceder with detail
MEZUZOT
Mezuzah
2 x 3 x 12 cm, 2 x 3 x 16 cm, 2 x 3 x 18 cm, glass & aluminium
Marriage Mezuzah
incorporating the glass smashed during the wedding ceremony to signify a strong union 16 x 3 x 2 cm, glass & aluminiumm
BIRTH: NAMING CUP
Life is precious and it is a joy to celebrate with family and friends by acknowledging a child's birth and the changes they bring to our lives.
B'rukha haba'ah b'shem Adonai.
Blessed is she who comes in God's name.
Naming Cup
90 x 70 mm diam, kilncast glass
NEW YEAR: ROSH HASHANAH
Slices of apple are placed on the wooden board and after the blessing dipped in the honey bowl and eaten to express the hope for ‘a good sweet year’.
All photographs by David McArthur
Apple and Honey Tray
7 x 35 x 7 cm, kiln cast glass & Blackwood
Apple and Honey Tray [detail}
PASSOVER
SEDER PLATES
I have always wanted to make a Seder plate for Passover, one that sits comfortably on a cluttered, food-laden table. I wanted to create a simple plate that could capture not only the religious order of service but also the different symbols that represent our story of freedom.
FREEDOM PLATE
We have a new ritual at Passover where we each bring an object, which represents freedom for us. The diverse and surprising ‘bits and pieces’ brought by young and old is an activity we all enjoy.
All photographs by David McArthur except Miriam's cup and Elijahs's cup by Ede Horton.
Seder plate
In collaboration with Lienor Torres
4 x 25 cm, kilncast glass
Seder plate
Second plate, 3 x 26 cm, kilncast glass
Seder plate
in collaboration with Chris Plumridge
2 x 30 x d 20 cm,ceramic, plain - gold detail or silver paint
Seder plate (detail)
in collaboration with Chris Plumridge
Freedom plate
1.5 X 26 cm in diameter, kilncast lead crystal glass,
Engraved by Lienors Torres
Elizah’s Cup
10 X 6 cm, kilncast glass
Miriam's Cup
10 X 6 cm, kilncast glass
CHUNNUKIAH
I remember as a child lighting our family Chunnukiah, a traditional ritual object made in Israel with a Star of David embossed on both sides.
One hot summer in our backyard, my children made their own Chunnukiah / Menorah by gluing gumnuts to a brightly coloured base they had painted. Each of these objects now evokes a memory of a special time and place.
The final piece in this series was exhibited in The Judith Altman Memorial Judaica Competition
Temple Judea Museum, Philadelphia, USA
All photographs by David McArthur
Menorah
1105 x 50 x 195 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
18 x 270 x 80mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
105 x 50 x 195 mm
lead crystal and anodised aluminium
Menorah
18 x 270 x 80mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
105 x 50 x 195 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
18 x 270 x 80 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
18 x 270 x 80 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
18 x 270 x 80 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
Menorah
1105 x 50 x 195 mm
kiln formed glass and anodized aluminium
SYNAGOGUE
I am constantly surprised and mystified when inspiration sparks an idea. On the wall in my local chicken take away shop is a proverb which says “on the inside were all the same” or in my newspaper a photograph shot by a traveller’s of a synagogue in Kabul, Afghanistan. These concepts, where the motivation when designing this Eternal Light. My aim was to create an object of beauty and grace, which enhances our sense of spiritual harmony within the wider world and ourselves.
Torah Pointers as a sign of respect for the Torah the reader does not touch the parchment scrolls but the script can be followed by one of these pointers.
The synagogue provides a strong foundation of order where our traditions of ritual and pray help us to deal with the chaos and conflict in our world and seek ‘tikkun’.
All photographs by David McArthur.
Ner damit – Eternal Light
47 x 30 x 26 cm Anodised aluminium, Lasercut construction
Ner damit – Eternal Light (detail)
Torah pointers
1.5 x 26 x 1.5cm , lathe worked wood, cast glass and silver
Australian Blackwood / Australian Blackbean / River Red Gum with silver
