JCC-Cultural Arts

once upon a bath time and other stories

Original Book Illustrations by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin
Opening Reception: Thur Oct 21 • 7-9pm
Artist in attendance • Free Admission
Exhibit continues to Sun Dec 5, 2010

This exhibit takes its title from Vi Hughes' charming new children's book, Once Upon a Bathtime, which tells the story of a little girl who is joined in her goodnight fairy tale bath by all her favourite fairy tale characters. The original illustrations for this book were created by Sima Elizabeth Shefrin. These illustrations, as well as a selection of illustrations from Elizabeth's previous publications, will be on display. The illustrations are executed in a collage technique, which the artist playfully refers to as "cut and paste". The images, which are direct and accessible, warmly invite the viewer to become a part of the delightful world they depict.

Sima Elizabeth Shefrin played as a toddler in the galleries of Italy, and she has been creating art ever since. As well as occasional curating gigs, she has been working professionally as a visual artist for 35 years, and has shown throughout North America. She is particularly interested in the ways that artwork brings together people of different cultures. Her ‘Middle East Peace Quilt’ is an international community art project, which toured North America from 1999 to 2008. Her other community art projects have involved creating art pieces with participants in schools, libraries and community centres around Vancouver. Elizabeth has recently turned to book illustration and has three books to her credit: Abby’s Birds by Ellen Schwartz, (Tradewind 2006), Latkes by Bob Bossin (Nick Books 2007) and Once Upon a Bath Time by Vi Hughes (Tradewind 2010). Her first book, Abby's Birds, was nominated for the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize, the Shining Willow Book Awards, the Chocolate Lily Book Awards, the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, long listed for the Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Award for Illustration and selected for the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario’s Club Amick for Aboriginal Literacy Initiatives.

”When I illustrate a book I look for the balance between staying true to the words of the author, and getting right inside the story to make it truly mine. Illustrating “Once Upon a Bath Time” has brought back memories of my mother encouraging me to lie back in the tub to rinse my hair after a shampoo, calling out “Swish swish like a fish!” The art work has a specific job to do, a story to tell, and at the same time, to make it really work, it must and does come from my heart.” Sima Elizabeth Shefrin

out of the silence

Art work by Sidi Schaffer
Opening Reception: Thur Dec 16 • 7-9 pm
Artist in attendance • Free Admission
Exhibit continues to Sun Jan 9, 2011

Sidi’s artwork is a continuous interplay of the real, the abstract and the symbolic in an effort to widen the perspective from which she experiences her place in the world. Searching within herself allows her to react in a spontaneous manner and to create a certain feeling or mood. She is continually exploring new approaches so she can play, invent, challenge and surprise herself. This series of works consists of mixed media art, a combination of printmaking, drawing, painting, photography and collage.

"In my earlier work I was immersed in abstraction and the printmaking process. It gave me the freedom to draw, scrape, glue, splash and paint. It was a great emotional outlet. After a few years, I integrated the abstract and the figurative and tried to express the concept of unity with the internal and external, the spiritual and the physical. I recently combined my two loves, photography and printmaking. I start with a photo image and transfer it to an etching plate. I add, subtract, overlap or draw into the plate. My art is an exploration, interpretation and expression of my inner world and surroundings. I thrive on the creative process; it's my meditation, my yoga." Sidi Schaffer

Sidi Schaffer was born in Europe. It was there that she began her fine art education with a strong foundation in Realism. At first her subjects were of the human form - people in the market, couples in love, portraits and groups of people involved in life's activities. When she immigrated to Israel, she continued her studies in art, and received her art education degree. She taught art in the school system for 14 years. Influenced by the Impressionists, in particular Cézanne, she began to paint landscapes and still life. She attempted to catch the essence, the light and the beauty of her surroundings. She moved to Canada in 1975 and studied art at the University of Alberta majoring in Printmaking and Painting. Her art has been exhibited in Canada, the US, Israel and Japan.