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ISRAELI-BORN ARTIST

ARI GRADUS SHOWS
HIS OPTIMISTIC,
JEWISH-THEMED
WORK AT
ART IN THE PARK.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to the Jewish News

o "oy vey" artist is Ari
Gradus, according to his
own assessment. Buyers,
he says, find his paint-
ings "uplifting and optimistic," the
mood he hopes to convey while
showing his work at Common
Ground Sanctuary Art in the Park.
The 26th annual fair, scheduled
Sept. 23-24 in Birmingham's Shain
Park, features the talents of 170
artists from the United States and
Canada and benefits the Oakland
County agency helping youths,
adults and families in crisis.
"I celebrate my tradition and her-
itage," says Gradus, 56, who divides
his time between New York and Israel,
creating colorfully detailed city and
ceremonial scenes. "Seventy-five per-
cent of my work has specifically Jewish
themes. Some have spiritual themes
that appeal to Jews and non-Jews.
'All the work is based on things that
I've seen, but I don't paint on the spot.
This has allowed me to interpret and
use my imagination. For the street
scenes, I do sketches, and sometimes,
I'll move the stores around to create
the composition that I want — not
quite realistic but realistic enough."
Gradus will be showing original
serigraphs hand pulled from silk
screens onto acid-free rag paper, sev-
eral acrylics and two sculptural wall
pieces. In a departure from his usual
style, one of the wall hangings is
interactive, allowing doors and gates
to be opened and closed.
The artist, born in Israel, began
painting when he was 8. By the time

ARI'S VISION

on page 78

Ari Gradus: "Jerusalem Market,"
lithograph. "For the street scenes, I do
sketches, and sometimes, I'll move the
stores around to create the composition
that I want — not quite realistic but
realistic enough,'' says the artist.

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