Painting the Holocaust series has been a weight I have carried with me for a long time.  Telling my parents' stories created an ever present responsibility in my life. For years I struggled to find someone who would write their stories, before I realized that it would be up to me to get this done. As an artist I realized that my form of education and documentation would be on canvas. With that in mind I set out to paint three paintings, one for my mother, one for my father and one to show the out come of their struggles. Two years later I emerged with ten paintings. Some of the paintings were not planned at all I often felt as though I was just a tool in producing these paintings. There were other forces in control of my paint brush. It has been an incredible experience, a journey in which I found my own spirituality and my own sense of being. It has been at times difficult at other times emotional but mostly one that has been very gratifying and comforting. I feel that I have fulfilled a mission.

In October, 2002 I was asked to go to Poland to see headstones that were recovered from roadways in and around Treblinka, the extermination camp.  It was a very poignant trip but one that has again brought me back to the Holocaust. I have created a replica of a design that I hope will someday be built there at Treblinka using the headstones. Seeing the destruction of all the beautiful Jewish cemeteries again left me with a need to let the world know that it was not only the living that were victimized, but even the mere memory was to be annihilated. By bringing attention to all the desecrated cemeteries I hope to help those very few people who are now trying to restore them.

This has been my journey. Today my work reflects a more spiritual understanding which was born out of the need to understand why bad things happen to good people. While we may not know the reasons right now I know there is a bigger picture that is unfolding before us everyday. In trying to understand the Holocaust I have turned to the study of Kabbalah. For years I have been devouring every book I can find.  Now my inspirations come from this study. The universe is a magical place and we have the privilege  of participating in it even if for a short time. How sad it is that so many spend their time fight.  My prayer is that my art will bring people some hope and inspiration and that I leave this life a better place for having been here.  

                                                                                                                                           ~ Meetal ~