Mazel Toy!

More
Than
Dabbli

Two artistsfind
joy and expression in
their long life together.

S SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

T

hroughout the it 63-year mar-
riage, Frita and Jack Drapkin
have pursued different careers
and hobbies.
Frita, while an elementary school
teacher in Detroit, found expression by

A photograph by Jack led
to this painting of their
young daughter by Frita.

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creating representational paintings and craft items
from dolls to jewelry. Jack, a portrait and wed-
ding phOtographer, found expression by sculpting
glass.
The artistic pursuits of both recently came
together when the couple displayed their work
during a reception in the lobby of their retire-
ment residence, the Heritage in Southfield.
"Jack helped me with my shows before he took
up glass projects," recalls
Frita, 87, who studied at
the Birmingham
Bloomfield Art Center and
was invited to exhibit her
oils and watercolors.
"We had no intention of
ever wanting to sell our
work. We gave away pieces to family and
friends."
She likes to capture children in action, and
fruits and flowers for still-life images. A paint-
ing she did of their daughter playing the piano
was brought from the Drapkins' apartment to
the building entryway "exhibition" so that visi-
tors could see Massachusetts psychologist Jill
Montgomery as a young girl. There also were
scenes with Jewish dancers and Frita's collection of
handmade porcelain dolls.
Jack, 89, who studied glass making through
Birmingham Public Schools, exhibited a peacock
screen, lamps, a table and chess set, - all_part of
their personal decor.
"I've discontinued my glass work and gave my tools to
Birmingham Groves High School," says Jack
Frita now devotes her art time to teach-
ing neighbors and sometimes youngsters
referred to her. She likes watching how
new-found friends who never knew they
could make jewelry are proud to wear what
they've designed.
The Drapkins, members of Temple
Israel, met at her sweet-16 party. Jack was
invited by Frita's best friend.
Frita came to the United States from
Czechoslovakia. She is the author of three
books about the immigrant experience,
including Mama Is a Citizen, and she is
starting what she jokingly calls a "Young
Writers Group" for people in her building.
"We're going to write about our own
background, and at the end of the year,
we'll publish it all," says Frita. "We'll give
copies to our children so they will know
about what we 'did and how we felt, espe-
cially in our early years."
Although Jack was happy to see their
artwork side by side at the Heatherwood
exhibition, he's happiest when he's side by
side with Frita.
"We're together, and that's the main
thing," he says. ❑

Frita and Jack Drapkin, and some of her
Heatherwood exhibition works.

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8/18
2000

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