Judy Sirota Rosenthal

Art as Prayer, Prayer as Art

March 25 – June 14, 2025

May 4 artist talk RSVP – here

Hamden artist Judy Sirota Rosenthal returns to BEKI with an exhibit of her inspirational “calligraphy” and color field renditions of the texts from March 24 through June 14, 2025.  Judy was one of the four local artists featured at BEKI 15 years ago in the Jewish American Women Artists program which initiated creation of gallery space in the Lobby.  At that time she displayed and discussed her eclectic approach to personal expression through the creation of installations, sculpture, prints and mixed media works as well as calligraphy.

Entitled “Art as Prayer, Prayer as Art” the exhibit is a timely expression of the longing for enlightenment through words and non-representational images.  The exhibit will be supplemented with a few pieces of calligraphic art from BEKI’s permanent collection.

Judy has sought insight through Jewish teachings, including the Kabbalah, as well as from other world cultures.  She spent time studying in Bali and there found correlations with Judaism.  Her artwork reflects her spirituality as a healer.

Rainbows and mystical/multi-dimensional universes (circles) are frequently features in her work on paper while objects from the natural world are employed in her sculptural and ritual object creations and installations.  The effect on the viewer can be both grounding and yet lead to questioning.

Judy has exhibited throughout the Northeast United States, including at the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art in Ridgefield, CT, Yeshiva University in New York, the Aidekman Gallery of Tufts University in Medford, MA and in several other locations in the U.S. including at the Hebrew Union College Museums/Skirball Museums in both New York, NY and Cincinnati, OH, where her work is part of their permanent collection. She is represented in the collections of Yale University Library’s Art of the Book Collection. Her rendition of the Hebrew and English versions of the 23rd Psalm can be seen on the front walls of the Shure Funeral Home Chapel in New Haven.

Judy will discuss her work during an Artist’s Talk on May 4.
RSVP – required with this link

More of her work can be seen at:
http://www.sirotarosenthalart.com

Art as Prayer-Rosenthal-pricelist