S
havuART, The Well’s
festival celebration
of art and learning,
returned on June 2 at Bamboo
Royal Oak. The inaugural
event took place last year at the
Soul Studio.
Shavuot is traditionally cel-
ebrated by engaging in Jewish
learning. The Well believes that
tapping into one’s creative side
is inherently full of learning —
and ShavuART certainly allows
participants to learn about
oneself, about the creative pro-
cess and the artistic techniques
and tools one uses.
ShavuART participants
engaged in hands-on art work-
shops, learning new crafts
from local artists while being
inspired by the artists’ self-ex-
pressions and unique styles.
The Well’s Rabbi Jeff
Stombaugh also led some
learning around the Three
Pilgrimage Festivals and Pirkei
Avot around Shavuot.
“It was really an amaz-
ing, diverse group of young
adults who all got together,”
Stombaugh said. “I was really
proud of it.”
Food came from Mongers’
Provisions and Astoria Pastry
Shop in Royal Oak.
Five artists were featured
this year with a diverse range
of styles.
Leah Sachs’ workshop saw
participants receive an intro to
the art of calligraphy.
Jacob Smith’s workshop saw
participants learn how to draw
mazes, explore what makes
mazes tricky and how to make
them pop, and learn about
maze art history.
Jenna Lopatin’s workshop
allowed participants to explore
the freedom and creativity of
wire stone wrapping.
Erik Sellstrom’s workshop
taught cyanotype photography.
Artists learned how to prepare
cyanotype paper and create
different materials to produce a
photogram or contact print.
ART ‘IN THE MOMENT’
Yevgeniya Gazman also led
a workshop. Gazman is the
founder and creative force
behind YGazm Art LLC. She
turns her art into products
ranging from yoga pants to
tote bags.
“What I wanted my work-
shop to do is help people be in
the moment, be inspired and
create, rather than overthink
the final product and feel par-
alyzed by this thought of need-
ing perfection,” Gazman said.
One way Gazman helped
people “live in the moment”
was through the way she intro-
duced supplies.
For example, she had a box
with tons of different markers
and pens, and participants
could reach in without looking
and let chance dictate the next
color they could use.
Five artists were featured this year
with a diverse range of styles.
The Well’s
ShavuART Returns
DANNY SCHWARTZ SENIOR STAFF REPORTER
NEXT DOR
VOICES OF A NEW GENERATION
26 | JUNE 27 • 2024
Erik Sellstrom
carefully wraps
wire around a
crystal.
ABOVE: Maze art workshop
facilitator Jacob Smith
(fourth from left) poses with
participants and their finished
mazes, from left: Carlee
Meyers, Nikki Sable, Laura
Rosen, Anna Cihlova, Andrew
Kaufman, Rabbi Benjamin
Altshuler, Jennifer Gleit and
Emma Voit.