Rosh Hashanah

The Jewish new year of 5780 starts on Sunday evening (at sunset) on September 29th this year. The Jewish calendar is a lunar one, but Rosh Hashanah is always the first day of the month of Tishrei, the days start at sunset, the month starts on the new moon. The Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar so the lunar calendars have to add days periodically to catch up. The Jewish calendar adds a whole month (called Adar 2) every few years so the Jewish holidays will always be in the right season (Passover in the spring, Sukkot in the fall etc.). Every year I take a photo or painting of mine and create a new card. I have one customer who has been with me for years and picks a picture from my website and has me create a JPG image for him to send with his words on it. That reminds me to create one for us.

We are in the month of Elul now which is a time of reflection. I sent this old poem to several people who loved it.  I know I posted it many years ago, but here it is again. The rabbi reminded me that Moses ascended Mount Sinai in the fog too. I definitely miss hiking, but I try to stay in a positive mode and I'm appreciative that I can walk every day in my neighborhood in Boise. Next summer we hope to go to northern Idaho and see the mountains there.

I am "guest artist" of the month at ArtZone in Boise, a co-op gallery. I was invited by one of the artists. The space for the guest artist is small so I only put up a few small paintings. I went to the reception and people said nice things. I don't really expect to sell anything, but I can always hope.

I tried to  paint from my photo at the Hyatt Reserve in the alla prima style in my last class, (painting all in one session). The original photo is in the post of Aug. 21st.  I enjoyed my classes, but don't have the patience to paint for 2 1/2 - 3 hours any more.  I'm thinking of going more into an abstract style instead of trying to make things representational.  I liked the bright colors I worked with on my painting of the moray "peek-a-boo" (in my last post).

May we all have a happy, healthy new year. I will continue to pray for peace too.