arts&life
exhibits

ROBIN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Small

Wonders

Holid
Holiday
da shoppers will fi nd
All the Small
S
Things at Soul
Studi
Studio’s
io annual gift show.

details

All the Small Things
runs though Feb. 26,
2019, at Soul Studio,
West Bloomfield.
Friendshipcircle.org.soul.

CLOCKW
CLOCKWISE:
W
Handmade abstract
clock by y Danielle Rahmoloer; a
by Fabian Israel; a
winter scene
s
shimmery
shimme
e pillow by Andy
Feinberg.
Feinberg
g

62

December 6 • 2018

jn

T

hey say big things come in small packages and that’s
certainly true at the Friendship Circle Farber Center
in West Bloomfield. The Dresner Foundation Soul
Studio recently unveiled its annual holiday gift show filled
with colorful, creative, handmade items made by artists with
special needs. Things like hand-woven pillows, mini ceramic
tumblers, Judaica and more are on display and available for
purchase. This year’s exhibition is titled All the Small Things.
“Our aim was to create affordable artworks and
homewares,” says Exhibitions & Program Manager Anthony
Marcellini. “For the most part, the items are small. Things like
woven shawls, ceramic plates, cups and vases, travel mugs,
coasters, abstract clocks, napkins, mezuzahs and more.”
There are also some larger items, Marcellini explains.
Hand-sewn women’s clothing, fiber wall hangings, aprons
and even an artist-designed skateboard deck, to name a few.
The show also includes realist and abstract paintings and
sculptures ranging from 3-12 inches in size along with more
than 50 poster-sized prints spanning Soul Studio’s almost
three
t
years in operation. New, handmade and one-of-a-kind
items will be introduced weekly, so the inventory will ebb and
flow throughout the holiday season. The show runs through
February 2019.
David Kole, 24, of West Bloomfield is one of the artists.
He’s in the studio two days a week and loves making items
out of wood like pens, coasters and sculptures. He also enjoys
ceramics, painting and more. In addition to his artwork, he’s
receiving on-the-job training at Soul Café, adjacent to the art
studio and gallery.
“Being involved in Soul Studio has taught me how to use
my creativity in new ways, how to be more independent and
develop new skills,” Kole says. “The gift show is great. There’s
a lot of nice artwork there. I feel very happy to see all the hard
work that we artists and staff did. I feel very happy that a lot of
my artwork has sold.”
Artist Fabian Israel, 24, of Novi used acrylics to paint a
cozy winter scene for the gift show. The image depicts a cabin
in the woods surrounded by tall, snow-covered trees and
evergreens. Israel has a remarkable ability to rapidly duplicate
what he sees in front of him with vibrant colors, dimension
and intricate detail.
“I like to paint landscapes and cities,” he says. “I like to paint
some cars. It makes me happy.”
Soul Studio first began as a pilot program in 2013 and
opened in its present home on Drake Road in 2016. To date,
nearly 100 artists have participated in the program. There
are currently 62 active participants who are paired with
professional artists and staff members. Each artist receives 40
percent of the proceeds from the sale of his or her work.
“Our holiday gift show is one of the most fun and
festive times for our artists. It’s amazing to see all they’ve
accomplished,” says Bassie Shemtov, who directs Friendship
Circle of Michigan with her husband, Rabbi Levi Shemtov.
“We have one incredible artist, Felicia, who has cerebral palsy
and has limited control of her arms and legs and cannot speak
— but she’s creating stunning artwork by drawing with her
eyes using a computerized communication device. Our artists
are inspiring and they teach us something new every day.
What’s happening at Soul Studio is truly magical. We invite
people to come and see for themselves.” ■

