Bob McKeown
Mrs. Miles describes a figure
on the zodiac display.
I
srael has always been repre-
sented in a small way at the In-
ternational Institute of Met-
ropolitan Detroit, with the ap-
pearance of Israeli dance troupes,
in small exhibits in the annual Old
World Market or as part of larger ex-
hibits focusing on the Mideast. But,
beginning Sunday and running
through June, Israel will be the high-
lighted country in the institute's
Ethnic Enrichment Experience Pro-
gram.
The EEE program exposes chil-
dren in grades two - six to different
world cultures. This is done through a
90-minute program of academic and
ethnic activities at the International
Institute. These include education
about the culture, games, crafts,
dances, food tasting and displays. In
advance of the visit to the institute, a
study guide is sent to classes to
familiarize them with the country
spotlighted by the EEE.
In addition to these. regularly
scheduled activities, the Israel-pro-
gram will be highlighted by a puppet
show about the legend of King Sol-
omon and the Queen of Sheba and a
display of posters entitled, "Children
of the World Paint Jerusalem," which
will be on view for two weeks begin-
ning Sunday.
The special feature of the Israel
Ethnic Enrichment Experience will be
a display in six cases of aspects of Is-
raeli art, culture, history and festivals.
Compiled by the institute's volunteer
folk art curator, Cyril Miles, the six-
case display was a joint effort of the
institute and the Detroit Zionist Fed-
eration. The Jewish Community
Council was involved in the planning
of the display, assisted in the design
and offered photos, graphs and maps.
A painter and filmmaker in her
own right, Mrs. Miles took up the
charge to create the six display cases.
FOCUS: ISRAEL
Detroit area schoolchildren will
get a close look at Israel
at the International Institute
HEIDI PRESS
Local News Editor
Because she volunteered her time and
materials — paper, cardboard, paste,
pictures — the displays "cost almost
nothing," she said. In addition, the
community has lent a variety of items
to complement the displays. She has
received loans of menorot, reference
materials, embroideries, hamsas
(hand amulets), papercuttings,
catalogues, oil lamps, books, art post-
ers and even an Israeli Christian
nativity scene. Robert Smith and Dr.
Thomas Lloyd of the Highland Park
Public Schools allowed Mrs. Miles the
use of the schools' media center in
order to produce the lettering appear-
ing in each display:
Among the contributors were Ann
Barnett, Israel Aliyah Center shaliach
(emissary) Benny Schwarz who is act-
ing in an advisory capacity, Helen
Kulka, Judy Brady, Dr. and Mrs.
Raymond Henkin, Dorothy and
Charles Davis, Dr. Louis Berman,
Harriet Berg, Norman Naimark, Dr.
and Mrs. Bernard Goldman of Wayne
State University, Rochelle Aronson,
Rose Levine, who did the tracings for
the mosaic display, Cheryl Huff and
Park West Galleries.
Mrs. Miles is no stranger to art, as
any visitor to her Hamilton Road
house can appreciate. Long an artist,
her paintings adorn nearly every
available wall in her home. One room,
in which she created a work for the
Israel display, is filled with miniature
stage sets, doll collections, soft
sculpture and a variety of artworks. In
fact, one may encounter collages,
paintings, painted furniture and other
objets d'art throughout her home,
many with accompanying stories that
she is only too glad to tell.
In the 1930s, she taught puppetry
at the Jewish Community Center.
Painting pages of the Bible was her
next project, but Mrs. Miles admits,
she never got past Genesis. She has
been accepted as an exhibitor in the
International Watercolor Exchange in
1941, the same year that Picasso and
Chagall were included in the show.
The 1950s saw her win an award
from 20th Century Fox film studios for
her painting of David and Bathsheba,
based on the studios' movie of the same
name. She also ran an art gallery and
exhibited in the Mexicano Nor-
teamericano de Relaciones Culturales
in Mexico. The Detroit Artists Market
has displayed some of her works as
well. All told, Mrs. Miles had exhibited
in 34 solo exhibitions. "I was invited to
all of them. I never sought them out,"
she said.
She taught art classes at the De-
troit Institute of Arts for 26 years and
has received numerous citations from