Bio | ZOHAR אומנות יהודית

Artist's Statement

I paint prayers, and spiritual impressions as I perceive them.

The paintings are a kind of documentation of the experience of faith, which is constantly changing and expanding

And they are an expression of the love of Torah

I engineer the connection between the words I see~my experience~my imagination

I do this through intuitive,

abstract painting, usually without prior planning,

And I let the image or text show me the path.

I use bright colors and a lot of colorfulness that express vitality,

And a lot of use of white that expresses light

The shapes of letters as templates on which the world is stretched,
And circles that express wholeness and boundary, within which we were created.

Paintings of plants and nature that remind me of our freedom and beautiful naturalness

I use mainly acrylic paints, and watercolors. I love making collages and incorporating "living" images into my work that stand out from the work and give it depth and additional ideas

The alphabet and the Holy Torah serve as endless, fascinating creative material for me, and a way for development, learning and fun.
The craft of art allows me to explore and learn Torah through the heart, through the palms of my hands,
and in fact, to explain it through experience, not through the mind

Thanks to the Holy One, blessed be He, for all the grace, truth and great mercy

Biography

Greetings and welcome to my world

My name is Noa Zohar Hochberg, born in 1992, mother and wife, living and creating in Gedera ~ Israel

I have been painting since childhood.

As a dreamy and introverted girl, painting was a safe place for me that was just mine, an escape from the world that felt turbulent and incomprehensible to me.

At school, I was in an art class, where I took my first steps in learning working techniques and creative styles.

Even then, it was clear to me that this was what I wanted to do "when I grow up."

At age 15, I converted to Judaism, where I found a lot of peace and security. The spiritual world was pleasant and familiar to me, and I was curious to discover its hidden secrets.

After a few years in religion, something cracked in my heart, and I set out on a new search.

I deviated from the path of religion, and set out to travel in Israel and the world for several years.

I lived a lot in nature and fell in love with its infinite beauty in its wildness and the freedom to know myself

I asked difficult questions and looked for answers

After years of searching without a solution

I found my way back to my roots, and began to study the inner workings of the Torah, the close connection between the Torah and the human soul and the processes we go through since Adam and Eve until today. As individuals, as a people and as humanity.

The Torah is a great miracle for me, literally living water for a thirsty soul and a great light to illuminate the confusion of human existence

All these years I drew, periods more, periods less. Mostly I drew the mental journeys I went through

Here are some of the scribbles from the notebook I traveled with:

I studied at the Visual Theater in Jerusalem, for a year and a half I absorbed art and it gave me the courage I needed to believe in myself.

During my studies, life kicked me in the stomach and I retired to learn the craft of motherhood.

I converted to Judaism again, and along with this process, quotes from the Torah spontaneously entered my paintings

During a meditation in nature, I painted the landscape and hummed a folk tune from Psalms (chapter 36) and it was natural to simply write it as part of the experience of that moment

And I was blown away!

I really fell in love with the text and the beauty of the letters in the background of the painting

And since then, the biblical quotes and the alphabet have firmly refused to leave

And I have no interest in it either.

The texts and the alphabet have become my main engine, the inspiration and motivation for creation, a laboratory for research, study and fun.

Here is that painting:

Then I learned Hebrew calligraphy and started writing in each painting

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I found the time to dream and establish

'Zohar' ~ Jewish Art Studio

With the aspiration that Zohar's activities would give expression to all this light that I was exposed to over the years, would illuminate hearts, create dialogue and interest in the Torah and its secrets, and illuminate providence and the examination of goodness and beneficence, which I feel is very necessary and desired in our time.

I am currently studying art therapy with the aim of connecting the worlds of spirit~soul~art
a little more
into something that can be developed with and help others use art as a tool for self-expression, healing, and various soul processes.

Zohar Studio is located in our home in Gedera.
The studio hosts workshops, and Torah study and creative meetings.

Everyone is welcome