Ilana Slomowitz ceramic muralist artist potter and workshop trainer

These items are custom made.

Click on picture for enlargement.


THE "TREE OF LIFE" PROJECT A perfect example of how craft, creativity, humanity and the necessities of real life can be combined and can be seen in the hugely successful "Tree of Life" project I produced for the remarkable Alyn Hospital in Jerusalem catering to the needs of severely physically challenged youth. I was commissioned to make the tree as part of a fund-raising project which would enable donors to "buy" a leaf which would then be attached to the tree -- which would then grow in stature as it attracted more and more support. I started with a very naive, child-like tree which was initially bare but quickly attracted foliage -- until we ran out of space and had to create another tree elsewhere at the hospital. This tree, too, burst into leaf and was over-subscribed and we are now engaged on a third tree -- this one in a new wing of the hospital which was substantially funded by donations attracted by the first two. Each tree has a particular style and personality of its own. The third , reflecting the maturity of the project, has turned to autumn and is suffused with shades of orange, rust and gold. Perhaps there will be the opportunity to have a winter tree too?????? The beauty of this project is that it is not limited by size and space, and has the potential to continue growing with the hospital and its needs. It is also an attractive and flexible idea which could be used to stimulate and inspire public involvement in any kind of fund-raising project, from schools and hospitals to synagogues, community centers and facilities of any kind.