On the sands of Ashkelon, June, 2011

Artists’ Statement

Bezalel-Levy is the combined signature of Chaim Bezalel and Yonnah Ben Levy, a husband and wife collaboration. We collaborate on mixed media paintings combining photography and media such as oils, oil pastels, or watercolors on rice paper or cotton rag paper, and sometimes in 3 dimensions as well. We have been collaborating since 1990 and we also work individually. In 2002 we opened Stanwood House Gallery & Art Center, in Stanwood, Washington in a restored, hundred year old landmark building to which we added a modern, architecturally designed ceramics studio.

Our collaboration began pretty much at the beginning of our relationship. In order to collaborate, one must be suited to it, because it is a dance in which, in our case, each partner leads at different times. We are working with the subjects, compositions, colors, and techniques in a staged process, with one handing off to the other. Painting is always a relationship, between the painter and the subject and the materials. Our technique also includes the relationship between ourselves. The photographer submits to having his composition painted over, sometimes obscured, and the painter is content to paint her partner’s image, although she gets to select which she wants to paint. . In many of the paintings the underlying photograph shows through in some areas, or the frame of the photograph is maintained. When we began, we put aside all of our individual artistic pursuits in order to create this collaboration, and now we are secure enough to work both individually and together. So basically, we are like three artists.

Both of us continue to use our Hebrew names because we began our collaboration in Israel and, to the extent that we are known, it is by those names. We also continue to maintain a home in Israel. We appreciate the opportunity to show you our work.

Deception Pass I & II from “Pacific Scrolls”