ARI'S VISION from page 75

Greek and American Cuisine
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

154 S. Woodward, Birmingham
(248) 540-8780

Halsted Village
(37580 W. 12 Mile Rd.)
Farmington Hills
(248) 553-2360

6527 Telegraph Rd.
Corner of Maple (15 Mile)
Bloomfield Township
(248) 646-8568

4763 Haggerty Rd. at Pontiac Trail
West Wind Village Shopping Center
West Bloomfield
(248) 669-2295

Abaue: Ari Gradus:
Celebrating inIc heritage.

Left': ":111e jeteith Quarters,
litbograpb. s5eyenty-five percent
of my work. has specOcally
.
Jewish tbilnes," says Gradus.

841 East Big Beaver, Troy
(248) 680-0094

SOUTHFIELD SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Nine Mile & Greenfield
15647 West Nine Mile, Southfield
(248) 569-5229

FARMINGTON SOUVLAKI
CONEY ISLAND
Between 13 & 14 on
Orchard Lake Road
30985 Orchard Lake Rd.
Farmington Hills
(248) 626-9732

NEW LOCATION:
525 N. Main
Milford
(248) 684-1772

UPTOWN PARTHENON
4301 Orchard Lake Rd.
West Bloomfield
(248) 538-6000

HERCULES FAMILY RESTAURANT
33292 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills
(248) 489-9777
Serving whitefish, lamb shank,
pastitsio and moussaka

r

MI MIN 1111111 =I 111

I Receive

I,

:

1 0%0ff :

I I Entire Bill
not to go with any other offer

I

9/22
2000

78

with coupon
Expires 12/30/2000

EMI 11M1

MI NM INN

I
I

he was 12, he won his first fine art award in Tel Aviv. After mil-
itary service, he moved to the United States as a college student.
"I was never in college to be an artist because artists never
seemed to make a living," says Gradus, whose parents
hoped he would apply his talents to architecture where
employment would be more stable. "I went to a technical
high school and painted all the time [I was not in class].
"I came to America and started at New York University. I
studied theater, psychology and everything that interested
me and painted to support myself. Some of my pieces
became very popular, and some got awards. I realized this is
the direction I should go."
When he was new to the United States, Gradus did a lot
of Americana — watercolors from snow scenes to bar
scenes. Soon, he returned to his roots by making Israel and
Judaic traditions his predominant subjects.
"I'm an optimistic person and do my best pictures with
optimistic energy," he says. "My goal has always been to be
unique and create something special."
Although this will be Gradus' first experience with Art in
the Park, it will not be his first experience with Michigan
art patrons. He has shown and sold work at the Ann Arbor
Art Fair, and his paintings hang at The Fiddler restaurant
and in the home of Big Daddy's owner Rick Rogow.
Gradus and his wife, Diana, a psychotherapist, have artistic
children. Son Oren performs with the Houston Grand Opera,
and daughter Ronna is a photographer, currently trying to
arrange an exhibit of a series of pictures she took in Kosovo.
"I do my printing in Israel because it's more comfortable
for me to work there," Gradus says. "The pace is slower."

As Gradus has expanded the places where his work is
shown around the country, he has been the subject of tele-
vision programs. He has accepted commissions and recently
did a large painting for a temple in New Jersey. His paint-
ings also have been on view in Japan.
In his own home and never to be for sale is a painting of
himself, merging an image from his boyhood with an image
of how he thinks he will look at a very advanced age. The
eyes in both visages are the same.
While artistic projects consume most of Gradus' time, he
still manages to visit a gym and practice and teach yoga.
"My dream is to do a motion picture in the near future,
and I'm writing it now," says Gradus, who believes film is a
natural progression from painting because both media are
very visual.
"I'd like to direct it, produce it and possibly be in it. The
story is about the friendship between an Israeli and an
Arab, and it's going to be shot in Israel.
"One of my collectors is going to put in a fairly large
amount of money, and I will raise the rest through my
other collectors. I hope it will be instrumental in bringing
peace closer between the Arabs and the Jews."

❑

Common Ground Sanctuary Art in the Park runs 10
a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday,
Sept. 23-24, in Shin Park in downtown Birmingham.
(248) 456-8150. More about . Gradus and his work can
be found on the Web at www.arigradus.com .