arts & entertainment

Simply

Irresistible

The Janice Charach Gallery's new exhibit and
sale highlights shoes, purses and mahjong.

A former

mahjong

Elizabeth Applebaum

both admired and used.
Linda K. Sienkiewicz has created a collection
Special to the Jewish News
of endearing purses made of vintage book covers.
Each includes a small handle atop a purse made
hat is the purpose of existence?"
of two book covers with fabric on the side to cre-
"Where is God when people suffer?"
ate a cozy space for a favorite lipstick, cell phone
and "What, exactly, do women want?"
and keys.
are among the greatest existential questions man
The exhibit also offers something for anyone
may ponder in his lifetime.
who
has ever wondered, "Dishes. Silverware. Pots.
Comedian and Simpsons writer Mimi Pond
Why
can't I think of a wedding gift that doesn't
offered guidance when it came to that third ques-
have
anything
to do with the kitchen?" Included is
tion."What do women want?" she asked."Shoes:'
a
pair
of
glamorous
bridal shoes by artist Margo
Of course, purses rank right up there, too. And
Silk-Forest,
with
the
words "I Do!" on the bottom.
a good game of mahjong. Plus a date with George
To
the
average
person,
a pair of shoes —
Clooney and Denzel Washington.
whether
it's
flip-flops
from
a dollar store or a
OK, the George and Denzel thing isn't happen-
sparkling
number
from
Jimmy
Choo that costs
ing.
more
than
some
annual
salaries
— are only
But the Jewish Community Center of
about
the
feet.
But
artists
are
able
to think outside
Metropolitan Detroit's Janice Charach Gallery
the shoe.
does have an exhibit running through Dec. 22
Among the gallery's exhibits is a planter,
that features other objets de desir: "Shoes, Purses
including
spiked, gem-covered heels, complete
and Mahjong."
with
a
cactus
or succulent. There's also a ceramic
Each year, the Charach Gallery plans an exhibit
shoe
—
appropriately
titled the "Serving Shoe"
in conjunction with the opening of the JCC's
—
for
a
favorite
condiment
like sugar or jelly, or
annual Jewish Book Fair, says Gallery Director
perhaps
some
creamer
or
gravy.
Terri Steam. Many guests of the Book Fair are
Purses, too, take on a totally different form
women. Voila.
than
the usual leather or fabric version; in addi-
"We were completely open to all kinds of art;'
tion
to
the book handbags, "Shoes, Purses and
Stearn says of the exhibit. So staff put out the
Mahjong"
features some clever carryalls made of
word, and what they saw, and heard back, was
record
album
covers.
totally unexpected.
,' Stearn says, "the artists never fail
"Once
again'
Calls quickly came in from around the world,
to
come
through."
including as far off as Dubai (from an artist
And for the maj lover there's jewelry, including
whose animal change purses are part of the
elegant
necklaces in rust-red and silver, featuring
exhibit), Thailand and Israel.
all
those
glorious wind, dragon and number tiles,
Rachel London Katz is a native of Ramat Gan
and
single
tiles that have served as mini canvases
and a graduate of the Bezalel Academy in Israel. A
themselves,
painted with snazzy works of art.
sculptor, Katz says that a few years ago she began
Also
on
exhibit
will be unusual and vintage
sculpting small ceramic shoes, sometimes realis-
mahjong
sets,
and
the gallery will host a limited
tically colored, more often decoratively painted.
number
of
mahjong
lessons. I I
"Each shoe of the hundreds I have made is
unique,' she says.
Elizabeth Applebaum is a marketing specialist at the
"The shoes are built from the sole up, as a
Jewish
Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit.
shoemaker works. I enjoy making the hard-
burned, brown clay look like shoe leather, laces or
metal buckles and giving the feeling of the foot
"Shoes, Purses and Mahjong" runs through
that goes inside. Some of the shoes are sexy, some
Dec. 22 at the Janice Charach Gallery
are funny, some are both; and for many people,
inside
the Jewish Community Center in
shoes have a complex, emotional association."
West
Bloomfield.
The exhibit is free and
Katz also recently began sculpting handbags.
open
to
the
public.
Gallery hours are 10
Like the shoes, these are "small enough to hold in
a.m.-5
p.m.
Monday-Wednesday;
10 a.m.-7
your hand:' she says.
p.m.
Thursday;
and
noon-4
p.m.
Sunday.
"This makes them personal, intimate, like toys."
Information: (248) 432-5579; jccdet.org .
Some of the works in "Shoes, Purses and
Mahjong" are meant to be admired. Others can be

tile finds

new life

in art by

W

Glenda

Ganis.

Carla S. Fox

creates jewelry

from mahjong tiles.

Art by

Linda K.

Sienkiewicz

for those who

love purses

from here to

eternity

((

It's glam.

It's gothic.

Shoe by

Dierdre Teasley