10th Anniversary Juried Exhibition & Reception

April 23 – June 8, 2024

Reception:  Sunday, May 26, 2024, 3-6pm

Coppell Arts Center, 505 Travis Street, Coppell, TX 75019
Juror:  Nancy Cohen Israel

Read the Texas Jewish Post Article

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Reception Pictures – May 26, 2024

​Read More Below:

+ About the Show Theme “Yud”  
​+ Explanation of Theme by Rabbi Shira Wallach, Congregation Shearith Israel, Dallas
+ Artists’ Thoughts About the Theme
+ Call-for-Entry Exhibition Details

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Artists:

Annemarie Baldauf, Brad Barrington, Jude Barton, Roseline Bodiford, Patty Bruce, Suedabeh Ewing, Mylinda Farr, Petra Farr, Nancy Fellman, Lori Ann Folz, Jan Ayers Friedman, Susan Harmon, Stefanie Held, Veronique Jonas, Rona Lesser, Ruth Simon McRae, Rose Marie Mercado, David Mikitka,  Jennifer Anne Moses, Gloria Munson, Susan Pinki Nutter, Nan Phillips, Stephen Potter,Kenna Prior, Celine Raphael-leygues, Esther Ritz, Iris Salmins, Jordan Taub

Musicians:

Sarah Price, TJAA Music Director

The European Trio will perform a musical program based on the Theme Yud.

Angie Friedman will present two works from her new album, Bring on the Peace.

Founding Members:

Julie Meetal Berman, Jan Ayers Friedman, Nancy Cohen Israel, Veronique Jonas, Nan Phillips

10th Anniversary Exhibition Committee Members:

Roseline Bodiford, Jan Ayers Friedman, Nancy Cohen Israel, Veronique Jonas, Monica Lorch-Daucourt, Rose Marie Mercado, Stephen Potter, Sarah Price, Celine Raphael-Leygues, Sandi Simmons, Jordan Taub

Exhibition Chair:

Nan Phillips

Show Theme

A JURIED EXHIBITION
BASED ON THE HEBREW LETTER YUD –  THE NUMBER 10

IN CELEBRATION OF TEXAS JEWISH ARTS ASSOCIATION’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

In Jewish mystical tradition, the Hebrew letter Yud or Yod has multiple interpretations. For example, Yud is a symbol of the Holy One, the Creator. Small in form, according to Kabbalistic tradition, all of creation came forth from a single point. Yud also can be thought of as a geometric symbol for creation. Additionally, Yud represents the number ten, and numbers play a significant role in Jewish texts and practice, as they are a means to understanding the divine. There are multiple philosophical meanings for the number ten. Some of the representations for Yud, ten, are: 

• An individual’s responsibility to keep the Ten Commandments – עשרה דיבריא
• The ten Plagues of Egypt
• Ten Jewish people form a minyan for prayer
• There are ten Sefirot (human and Godly characteristics) depicted in Kabbalah
• According to the Mishnah, the world was created by ten divine utterances
• Ten generations passed between Adam and Noah and between Noah and Abraham
• Ten apparently supernatural phenomena were created during twilight in the sixth day of creation.

These, or other explanations, may be broadly interpreted in a personal way, presented in your particular art form.

Your short explanation or description of your artwork’s relationship to the theme will be on display with your artwork.

2D and 3D art submissions are accepted: Painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, and sculptural work accepted.

Don’t let this theme be a deterrent or intimidating. It doesn’t need to be a university dissertation.
​Just speak from your heart. – Claude Monet

You don’t have to understand my work, just love it. In this case, give us a few words to help us understand it and love it even more.” –​ Roseline Bodiford

Explanation by Rabbi Shira Wallach:

Audio of Explanation Read by Rabbi Shira Wallach

“Yud”

For such a small letter—the smallest, in fact—the Yud carries great importance in its role: both in its identity as a letter, and in its use in the Hebrew language. 

In some ways, Yud is common and humble. It appears most frequently of all the letters in written text. It functions both as a consonant and as supporting parts of vowels. But don’t let its ordinary nature fool you: without the Yud, the Hebrew language, with all of its grammatical forms and conjugations, would fall apart. And there is no greater reminder of this than the fact that despite its ubiquity, Yud signals the name of God.

Not only does the Tetragrammaton, the holiest four-letter articulation of God’s name, begin with Yud, but a shorter version of God’s name is two Yud letters side by side. The Chassidic Master R. Israel of Ruzhin taught: one of these small marks represents one Jew. And when one Jew sits beside another at the same level, sharing mutual respect, pursuing deep connection, then God is invited to dwell in their presence.

In Gematria, the system that assigns each Hebrew letter a numerical value, Yud is ten. It is the fulcrum at which letter values begin to ascend by tens instead of by ones. Students of the Torah will also recognize the importance of the letter ten in our ancient writings; the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) provide a religious and moral framework for us, even in modern times. 

Finally, one of my favorite—and most significant—instructions that guide us in the creation of sacred community is the idea that certain rituals and prayers may not be offered without the presence of a minyan, a quorum of ten adult Jews. The Talmud (Megillah 23b) teaches that without this minimum, we may not chant from the Torah or join in the Kedusha. We may not recite the Mourners’ Kaddish nor may we offer the Sheva Berachot, the seven blessings that consecrate one spouse to another. That is to say: without our loved ones surrounding us, buoying us through transformative moments in our lives, we simply cannot invoke God’s name. It is the support of our community that allows us to understand and access God’s compassion and companionship.  

It is with this in mind that I bless TJAA in their 10th year! Through your explorations of Jewish art, you have sought to deepen connection with our tradition and with one another. May you continue to go from strength to strength. 

Rabbi Shira Wallach
Congregation Shearith Israel

Artists’ Thoughts About the Theme

“For me Yod, as it is in the same time a very small point and the creator, and as I believe deeply in quantique Energy, Yod is an energy nano-particule : as Einstein said ” all is energy “! I did three paintings with this idea.” – Celine Raphael-Leygues

“I had heard about the ten sefirot in Kabbala, and just now started reading more to see if I could use that in my entries. Going along with the Levels of Soul that I had been doing in resin. The first of the Sefirot is called Chochmah. Chochmah is the soul faculty that conceives any matter, and hence is made of the words koach mah, meaning the potential of what is. It produces the original idea, and is often referred to as the first flash of intellect. It already contains within it all the details of the idea but as yet they are concentrated and obscured. It is everything in potential. This potential has been likened to a dot, in which everything is contained, but nothing is actualized or given definition. In the Tetragrammaton, this is represented in the first letter, yud, which resembles a dot.” -​ Jan Friedman

www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/361885/jewish/The-Sefirot.htm

YUD

1. Barely larger than a dot and cannot be divided into component parts – alludes to G-d: one and indivisible.
2. Smallest letter – implies that greatness is achieved through humility.
3. Yud consists of 3 parts: a prong pointing upwards to the One above, a prong directed downwards to earth and the middle part uniting them both. (Zohar)
4. Since the number 10 may be viewed as a unit, any instance in which ten plays a significant role should be viewed as a whole comprising ten parts – ten represents completion, entirety, and all ten members should be viewed as one.
5. The shape is symbolic of a person in prayer: eyes lowered in humility as he stands before the King, while his heart is directed upward, toward heaven.

– Dr. Norman Fischer

Call-for-Entry

In Celebration of Texas Jewish Arts Association’s 10th Anniversary
A Juried Exhibition
Based on the Hebrew Letter “Yud” –  the Number 10

Coppell Arts Center
505 Travis St.
Coppell, TX 75019

Extended Submission Deadline: March 15, 2024
​Show Dates:  April 23 – June 8, 2024
Reception Date:  Sunday, May 26, 2024
Juror:  Nancy Cohen Israel

Theme:

In Jewish mystical tradition, the Hebrew letter Yud or Yod represents the number ten. An important representation of man’s responsibility to keep the Commandments. It has multiple other interpretations. For example, Yud is a symbol of the Holy One, the Creator. Small in form, according to Kabbalistic tradition, all of creation came forth from a single point.

​Yud also can be thought of as a geometric symbol for creation.Any of these explanations may be broadly interpreted in a personal way, presented in your particular art form.Your explanation or personal significance will accompany your artwork.

See Theme Explanations Above

The Texas Jewish Arts Association welcomes all to apply to this juried exhibition.

Please become a member of the Texas Jewish Arts Association here: Join/ Renew. Members receive a coupon code discount to apply.

Juror:

Our Juror, Nancy Cohen Israel, was instrumental in creating Texas Jewish Arts Association, and was a founding member of our Board of Directors. Ms. Israel juried our first exhibition “Bereshit” in 2014. We are very pleased that she agreed to jury our 10th Anniversary Exhibition also. We are delighted to be working with Ms. Israel again! 

Nancy Cohen Israel is an art historian, writer and educator. She is also a founding member of the Texas Jewish Arts Association. Over the past 30 years, she has been a presence in the local art world, serving in a multitude of roles, including gallery director, lecturer, curator and juror, as well as the owner of Art à la Carte. In the latter capacity, she organized and led art tours for 15 years through her popular program, Second Saturdays. Nancy has been a regular contributor to Patron magazine since its inception in 2011. She continues to cover the visual and performing arts in North Texas and beyond for Patron as well as for the Dallas Arts District Guide. Prior to joining the Meadows Museum in her current position as the Manager of Docent Programs, Nancy spent many years lecturing there through the museum’s dynamic public programming. She remains a popular lecturer throughout the city.

Venue:

​The Coppell Arts Center in Coppell, Texas, is a beautiful new arts facility in Old Town, and according to their Mission Statement, “is a gathering place that honors local artists, presents first-class entertainment and diverse cultural experiences for the citizens of Coppell and North Texas residents.” 
​For more information, visit www.coppellartscenter.org

Application and Submission:

• Application window: January 22 – March 5, 2024
• 2D and 3D art submissions: Painting, drawing, photography, mixed media, and sculptural work accepted. 
• Three (3) pieces of artwork may be submitted from each artist applicant.
• Submissions will be chosen by juror from image submissions. Make sure to submit high-quality, high-resolution jpgs.
• Some Coppell Art Center pedestals are available – see 3D Specifications below for sizes.
• You may provide your own pedestal. Artist’s pedestal MUST be in good display condition. Image of pedestal must be included in application with artwork. Poor quality pedestals may be rejected at load-in and your work may not be displayed in the Exhibition.
• Submission – See CaFe Link Above
• Extended Submission Deadline:  March 15, 2024
• Application Fee:  Members $25; Non-members $35
• Please read all the details in the prospectus
• No refunds
• Work presented at load-in must match the description and image of the work submitted in the application and accepted by the juror. If not, TJAA has the right to reject such work. 
• Shipped artwork must be received no later than Wednesday, April 17, 2024, or it will not be hung in the show.
• Delivery address will be provided in the acceptance email.
• Shipped artwork must include packing material. Artist is responsible for paying for return shipment of artwork at the end of the Exhibition. Artist will be billed for the shipping expense and agrees to reimburse TJAA upon receipt of bill.
• ​Artwork must be picked up, or arrangements made to have the artwork picked up during the specified load-out date and times. TJAA charges a late fee, and a $50 per day penalty for “forgotten” artwork.

Important Dates:

• Extended Application Deadline:  March 15, 2024
• Show Dates:  April 23 – June 8, 2024
• Show Reception:  Sunday, May 26, 2024, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm
• Show Notification:  By April 5, 2024
• Load-in:  Sunday, April 21, 2024 – 4 to 6pm
• Load-out:  Sunday, June 9, 2024 – 4 to 6 pm
• ​Artists with work accepted into this Exhibition will receive an email of acceptance by April 5, 2024

Artwork Specifications:

• Up to 3 pieces of artwork may be submitted.
• All artwork MUST relate to the show theme in some manner. Artists have complete freedom in their interpretation of the theme; however, the application will ask for a short statement or explanation of your theme. This statement or explanation will be included with the art wall tag and displayed alongside the artwork.
• Accepted Artwork must remain installed through the entire Exhibition.
• TJAA requests 10% from all sales of artwork. 
• Coppell Arts Center is not taking a percentage of sales.
• Juror Nancy Cohen Israel will choose the artwork from submitted images. Please submit your highest quality photos of your work. She will select the artwork based on:
  • Quality of the artwork;
  • And whether the artwork fits the theme, based on artist’s submitted statement or explanation.
• 2-D Artwork:
  • MUST have D-rings or wires; no sawtooth hangers
  • Max weight – 75 lbs
  • Size limit – The number and size limit of 2-D artwork chosen will depend on the number and sizes of the pieces submitted and what will fit appropriately in the venue, and will be at the sole discretion of the Juror.
  • Approximately 60 – 120 pieces may be chosen, depending on the sizes of the submitted works
• 3-D Artwork:
  • Coppell has 13 plexiglass pedestals, 12”x12”; Pedestal weight limit 150 lbs
  • Coppell has some 12”x12”x12” plexiglass pedestal covers for small, fragile 3-D work
  • Artist may supply their own pedestal. However – pedestal MUST be in good, gallery-display condition. Picture of pedestal must be submitted with application.
  • Floor sculpture is acceptable, however Coppell Arts Center is in constant use and a large number of people will be able to walk past and touch the artwork.
• Sales:
  • All sales will be between the purchaser and artist.
  • By agreeing to participate in this Exhibition, artist agrees to donate 10% of the sale price of any displayed artwork sold during this Exhibition to TJAA.
  • Artwork must remain in the Exhibition through the close of the show.
  • It is artist’s responsibility to deliver, or make arrangements to deliver, artwork to purchaser.
  • A QR code will be available at the Exhibition with links to the artist’s contact information.
  • A digital catalogue of all Exhibition artwork will be available on the TJAA website.
• Insurance:
  • All participating artists in this Exhibition must carry their own insurance.
  • Neither TJAA nor Coppell Arts Center will be responsible for any artwork.

Questions? Email Show Chair Nan Phillips
​​showchair@texasjewisharts.org

We are grateful to our generous sponsors:

This exhibition is brought to you with the generous support of The Coppell Arts Council and The Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas.

Individual Donors:

Sandra Simmons