Colour

Back in December I went to see the exhibition "Colour" at the Design Museum in Holon. The exhibition explored the subject of colour from a variety of perspectives: how we understand, perceive, and interpret colour, how it affects objects, and how a specific colour becomes associated with a value, product, or abstract concept. It showcased the works of some 30 Israeli designers from various design disciplines: product design, textile design, visual communication, fashion, and illustration. Most of the pieces were specially created for the exhibition and were being displayed for the first time.

The lower gallery of the museum featured projects concerned with colour as a material, exploring how it comes into being by means of both innovative and traditional technologies. The upper gallery showcased works that demonstrated how surroundings and experiences are created using colours.

The most interesting part of the exhibition for me was in the museum's peripheral gallery. Displays explored colour trends and the historical and cultural reasons for choosing a certain colour to represent a particular idea.
I learnt about the 17 different colours of berets that Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers wear and the reasons the colours were chosen, above. Initially, most soldiers wore olive-green berets. Over time, however, different colours came to be identified with different military corps and brigades. For instance, the colour red was chosen for the berets worn by paratroopers, since it is identified with paratrooper units worldwide; brown is the colour of the berets worn by Golani soldiers, representing a connection to the earth and to roots; the green colour of the Nahal beret represents the brigade's affinity with agriculture and settlement building; until 2000, the artillery corps wore black berets. It was then decided to change the colour to turquoise, symbolizing the sky that the artillery passes through, and thus strengthening the soldiers' sense of pride. And what about the purple beret worn by Givati soldiers? The Hebrew word for purple, sagol, is associated with violet flowers, sigaliyot (violets) It is also related to the brigade's motto, which contains the word segula (select, chosen), sharing same root with the word sagol.

Another display showed pigments produced from soil samples from the Ramon Crater mixed into white clay, above, highlighting the crater's profusion of natural earth tones, which vary from intense orange to deep purple.

The team colours of the Israeli football clubs have relevance too. The colour red has been identified with Hapoel Tel Aviv since its foundation in 1926, above. The club's crest features a figure throwing an iron ball alongside the Soviet hammer and sickle, which represented the working class. The blood shed as part of the struggle for workers' rights was symbolized by the colour red as a representation of self-sacrifice, courage, rebellion and freedom. By contrast, the yellow colour of the Maccabi Tel Aviv kit came to be associated with the team only in 1942, when it was chosen as a means of identification with the European Jews persecuted by the Nazis and forced to wear the Yellow Star. 

The Flag of all Flags project, above, was displayed at the entrance to the museum's upper gallery. The flag is a composition of various flat shapes, symbols and colours that forms one playful and vibrant flag - a flag of visual optimism. Recognizing how flags are often used for bad purposes, generating an "us vs. them" sentiment, this flag was created aims to unite rather than divide. It has a little bit of everything in it!

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Yonatan and Eilon

Yonatan recently went on a long trek in Nepal and is now working as a bartender at events. His mum asked me to make him a card for his 22nd birthday and wondered if I could somehow combine these two things. She also asked me to add a heart with the name of Yonatan's girlfriend on it.
She sent me a photo of Yonatan next to a sign saying Larke Pass. I learnt that the Larke Pass, also known as Larkya La, is a high mountain pass in Nepal, situated at an elevation of 5,106 metres (16,752 feet). It is the highest point on the Manaslu Circuit Trek. The pass is marked by a sign indicating its elevation and is a popular spot for trekkers to take photos. The sign is often adorned with prayer flags, adding to the scenic and spiritual atmosphere of the location.
Mum also sent me a photo of Yonatan mixing a cocktail.
I decided to show Yonatan in front of the Larke Pass sign, dressed in his mountaineering clothing. At the same time, he is holding a cocktail shaker and has already mixed a few drinks, which I placed next to him. I added some trekking poles, a red heart with his girlfriend Eden's name on it, and a big yellow number 22 to mark his age.
Apparently Yonatan absolutely loved it!

Yonatan's little brother Eilon celebrated his 10th birthday a few months ago. Mum asked me to show him playing the piano on his card, but wanted me to add a basketball and some milk chocolate M&M's as well. The yellow number 10 shows his age.

Eilon loved his card too. "Thank you so much for the cards! They made our day." mum wrote to me.

* This post has been shared on Happiness is Homemade, Tuesday Turn About, Creative Muster and Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop.

Silver Door Plaques

My customer was so happy with the name plaques I made her that she came back to me for more. This time she asked for silver frames, but with the same blue backing paper as before.
I created three papercuts, each with the names of some newly married couples. I hope that Elisheva and Yehuda, Oriya and Yossi, and Carmel and Benaiah like their plaques. 

Elisheva, Yehuda and Yossi are quite common Hebrew names. The name Oriya means "my light".

The name Benaiah was a new one to me. It means "God has built". It is derived from the Hebrew word "bana" (to build). The name is found in the Bible, where Benaiah is depicted as a valiant warrior and leader, particularly during the reigns of King David and King Solomon.

Benaiah's wife's name, Carmel, means "vineyard" or "garden".

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Hila 24

My eldest son's girlfriend, Hila, turned 24 at the end of June. We were supposed to be in the UK on her birthday, so I made her card well in advance to ensure it would be in the right place at the right time. Of course, we ended up not travelling because of the war with Iran, so Nadav and Hila were actually with us on the morning of her birthday and her card was in Be'er Sheva where they live! Nonetheless, she received it later in the day and, as you can see, was thrilled with it!

I showed Hila with her family's dogs on the front of her card. To say that the dogs, Toffee and Archie, are important members of her family would be an understatement! Toffee, a Border Collie, is an older dog and has been with the family for some years. One day, while walking on the kibbutz where they live, Hila and her dad found Archie, a Dogo Argentino-Pitbull mix puppy, and brought him home. He is a huge, playful young dog, full of energy, and is now very much loved.

Hila is sitting with Toffee on her left and Archie on her right. I added the open spaces of Kibbutz Ramot Menashe, where Hila grew up, behind them. The Ramot Menashe region, where the kibbutz is located, is known for its striking landscape of planted forests - mainly pine, cypress, and eucalyptus - interwoven with natural oak woodlands, open fields, and flowing streams.

A large yellow number 24 marks Hila's age, and the Hebrew greeting simply reads, "Happy Birthday Hila".

* This post has been shared on The Good. The Random. The Fun., Tuesday Turn About and Creative Muster.