Bentleys in Israel: LRC Art Exhibits -- TAPESTRIES (Jan.

Every 6 months, a new exhibit opened at the JC. Neomi Weistein -- the curator who also arranged all concerts -- did a great job. On 1/10/12 Marilyn, Neomi and Shari happily oversaw the tapestries exhibit grand opening. This woven art was done by 12 local artists, using only a variety of looms, needles and colorful fibers.

The LRC exhibit hall itself was very artistic -- filled with many arches and superb lighting. This view was from the entry door -- looking straight ahead. To the right of the entry were the west and north walls.

Tapestries (Jan. - June 2012). The front carpet drew us instantly to the artist. Drora Calderon (1940 in Jerusalem) lived in the Negev. Self taught, and using only needle and thread, she simulated the brush strokes of J.M.W. Turner -- the romantic watercolor landscape artist. Her illusion of depth and paint-soaked canvas reminded of Mark Rothko. Another vivid carpet near the end was also stunning. She wrote, "to me, these are not rugs but spiritual maps of what was inside of me."

Her daughter Ital Calderon was skizophrenic and used weaving as occupational therapy. Her disharmonious forms with impossible color combinations showed inner turmoil. Every inch was covered with unsolved shapes and designs. She died in 2005 (age 43).

Ilana Ravek was Polish born in 1941 and came as an Austrian orphan to the Negev. Her Sabras Fences simulated earlier cactus fences there -- woven with 3 layers of cotton, flax and sabras fiber. Also, her Crocus Mountain Worship Site showed stones in a kind of prayer circle. Next to it was a lovely mood piece of Petra. Her Erosion was inspired by a desert flood.

Nearby was Eye of the Storm and another colorful rug by Ari Kroneberg, born to Bulgarian parents. Both evoked Native American folk art. Note the calm little green leaves amid spiraling animals guarding the world. He studied art in Florence, Italy and taught in Tel Aviv.

We really liked these woven landscapes.

Our charity friends from Sidreh in Lakiya displayed these lovely, unnamed tapestries from Bedouin women. They also brought a recorded narration.

They also laid out some true floor carpets for us.

Ahuva Sherman did the Dead Sea Scrolls and Awakening Desert.

The eeriest piece was The Unbody by Miryam Bruch Cohen -- in memory of being raised by holocaust survivors in a house with the shadows of murdered family members.

Haya Carol Meyerowitz (born 1935 in NYC, taught art at the Israel Museum) wove a striking Summer Remembrance and two whimsical carpets -- all very colorful.