Jacqueline Allschwang
Jax was born in South Africa and has a Bachelor of Arts, is a Master Practitioner in NLP, and has a certificate in Resonance Repatterning. Jax’s artworks, which use several art media forms, are inspired by her strong connection to Jewish light and are an avenue of exploration, play and expression that has supported her own, as well as others, journeys towards healing.
Karin Arbeter
Karin was born in South Africa, studied Fine Arts BA(FA), and has exhibited and sold her work worldwide. While doing her degree, Karin found creative expression through the use of fibre art and has dedicated much of her work to exploring and using this technique. Karin utilises a variety of textiles to combine hand sewing and free motion machine stitching. Karin’s art draws on imagery from both her Jewish roots and her personal life experiences.
Tracy Balkin
Tracy was born in Johannesburg and has spent her life exploring art in all its forms. Tracy graduated with a BA Degree in Graphic Design and has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. While travelling and living in Europe, Tracy fell in love with the art form, quilling, also known as paper filigree. With more than a decade of quilling experience, Tracy’s love of art and paper is evident in all her unique artworks, which are sold both locally and internationally.
Lynda Ballen
Lynda is a Johannesburg based fine artist with extensive experience as a visual educator. Lynda has a BA in Fine Arts and a Masters in art education from New York University, with her works being exhibited in major South African museum collections. At the heart of her own practice is a great respect for the global traditions of craftsmanship, coupled with a desire to recognize raw material as precious by processes such as papermaking. She also works with drawing, painting and printmaking.
Tamar Bender
Tamar was born in South Africa and studied art for matric, in which she excelled. At present she is enrolled for an undergraduate degree and works as an assistant at a successful art studio in Johannesburg. Tamar enjoys working with charcoal and oil and draws her inspiration from her orthodox lifestyle by selecting subject matter of Jewish iconography to create meaning.
Adena Benjamin
Adena is a South African artist living in Israel with a Bachelor of Psychology and an Honours in Fine Arts. Adena, whose art revolves around her experience as a Jewish woman, her relationship to Israel and her desire to express uniqueness in the context of being a Jew, sells her original artworks and prints from her home studio based in Tel Aviv. Through the use of water colours and acrylic paint, Adena displays an organic process, lacking a specific set of steps and structures to highlight individuality.
Rachel Berkowitz
Rachel is a qualified 2D and 3D animator as well as an artist. Rachel’s art is characterised by realism, detail, and deep colour tones. Inspired by her religion and love of Jerusalem, Rachel focuses on creating art pieces of Israel, Jerusalem, and spiritual leaders using mainly oil on canvas and occasionally acrylic and watercolour. Rachel’s work has a joyful and entertaining quality to it.
Sasha Berkowitz
Sasha was born in Johannesburg and matriculated with a distinction in Visual Art. Combining her love of art and science, Sasha has degrees in Bachelor of Engineering Science in Digital Arts and Electrical Engineering. While Sasha now works as a Data Scientist, she creates commissioned artworks.
Melinda Blacher
Melinda was born in Johannesburg and graphic design at the Art Foundation. After working in graphic design, Melinda transitioned into the world of painting and has displayed and sold her pieces in numerous group exhibitions. While Melinda’s preferred technique is oils on canvas, she also uses mixed media to create modern pieces.
Tamar Bloch
Tamar, a teacher at Torah Academy Nursery School, is currently completing her Masters degree in Jewish Education. A creative soul from a young age, Tamar began her artistic journey with her first "official" art lesson at just 5 years old and has been immersed in the world of painting and drawing ever since. Balancing her love for teaching and her artistic pursuits, Tamar finds joy and fulfillment in both realms.
Denise Bloch
Denise was born in Johannesburg and qualified as a pre-primary teacher, blending her passion for children with her innate creative flair. After a long teaching career, Denise reconnected with her love of art. Using her creativity and imagination, Denise mainly creates abstract art and seascapes, with her preferred medium being acrylic on canvas with which she integrates various materials.
Ricci Block
Ricci was born in Johannesburg, did art as a matric subject and has been painting ever since. Her preferred medium is oils on canvas with soft and lush paint to symbolise freedom of expression. While Ricci mainly draws her inspiration and creative ideas from South African artist Simon Stone and other impressionist painters, she also works on commissioned pieces.
Natalia Blumenthal
Natalia has a degree in Film, specializing in costume, makeup and design (AFDA), an honours degree in brand strategy, and recently completed her Masters degree in Digital Business at Salford University in Manchester. Natalia, who has been painting since she could hold a paintbrush, draws her inspiration from moments that bring her joy. While Natalia’s favourite medium is oil paint as it is vibrant and flexible, she enjoys experimenting with mixed mediums. Merging artistic flair with her digital skills, Natalia helps small businesses navigate the digital world by bringing colour and creativity into each project.
Roanne Brainin
Roanne was born in Johannesburg, qualified as a teacher specializing in art, and in 2000 she opened the King David Linksfield play school. Roanne’s passion for art led her to explore her creative talents and since 2006 she been busy creating commissioned pieces. Roanne is now a full-time artist and has been commissioned to decorate numerous hotels, lodges, offices and homes throughout South Africa and overseas. Her oversized, textured, yet simple installations compliment the decor and design of living and workspaces.
Ayalah Braude
Ayalah was born Johannesburg. After making Aliyah, she studied graphic design and currently works in the field of marketing. Throughout her life, Ayalah has felt passionate about art and uses her talents and creativity to create pieces focussed on Judaic and African themes. Ayalah uses an explosion of colour, texture, and movement in her pieces.
Mandi Brest
Mandi was born in South Africa, received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and then delved into the world of Advertising. In 2011, Mandi opened an art studio and now teaches over 100 children and adults, weekly. She has held art exhibitions, in which her students participate, to raise awareness and funds for various charities. Mandi is a diverse and unique artist as she utilizes many different styles and mediums within her work. She believes the experience of getting lost in the creative process is essential to creating art that is not only pleasing to the eye but also to the soul.
Bev Butkow
Bev, a latecomer to the arts, who is deeply committed to social engagement and lifelong learning switched from a career in finance and obtained a Master of Fine Arts in 2022. In that same year, Bev exhibited her art in the curated Tomorrows/Today section of the Investec Cape Town Art Fair, and presented her work at Contextile Bienal TextileTALKS, Portugal. Bev’s art transgresses the boundaries between textile, painting, sculpture, and installation.
Liora Chernick
Liora, born in South Africa, studied at seminaries in Jerusalem and Tzfat which sparked her passion to combine Torah and art. Liora went on to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts and became an art teacher at both her private art studio and Jewish Day schools. While dedicated to teaching her students the necessary skills and techniques, Liora’s passion is to enable her students to express their emotions and grow through the medium of art. She has also worked with children with learning and physical barriers as well as the elderly, using art to express their emotions. Liora’s own work is primarily acrylic on canvas, incorporating collage elements imbued with religious themes.
Desiree Cohen
Desiree, who was born in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia), interest and subsequent love of art started while still at school. With no formal training, Desiree joined the Janet Pollack Studio in Johannesburg where she has been working on her art for the last eight years. Desiree, who creates modern and abstract pieces, enjoys playing with colour, texture and collage either on canvas or wood, with each artwork being a totally absorbing adventure.
Shira Cohen
Shira born in Johannesburg has always had a passion for art. Shira completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Industrial Psychology and started working as a recruitment specialist. However, after joining Janet Pollack’s art studio, her love for art truly blossomed and Shira ventured into the world of marketing where she could utilize her artistic talents. Shira's art is characterized by her obsession with vibrant colours and abstract forms. She uses acrylics and different modes of texture to weave stories that reflect her rich Jewish heritage and celebrate the beauty of life.
Ariella Eisenberg
Ariella was born in Johannesburg, completed art as a matric subject, and holds a Bachelor of Architectural Studies, an Honours in Architecture, and a Masters of Professional Architecture. Ariella, who has created commissioned pieces, believes her artistic skill is a heritage from her grandparents and uses her art as a way to connect to her deceased and living relatives. While Ariella’s favourite medium is oil paint, she enjoys a variety of mediums including digital design, watercolour paint and ballpoint pen.
Hazel Frankel
Hazel, a Researcher Associate at the University of the Witwatersrand, is an artist, author, and calligrapher. Using water colour and collage, her paintings and writings reflect her interest in Jewish themes, the natural world, and the issues of exile and memory. Hazel has held several solo exhibitions, participated in numerous group showings, and has published a book of poetry, ‘Drawing from Memory’, and two novels. Recently, her monograph ‘Holocaust and Home: The Poetry of David Fram from Lithuania to South Africa’, was published.
Cayla Frichol
Cayla was born in Johannesburg. Ever since she was a young girl, Cayla loved using her imagination to create art. While Cayla is an actuary by profession, she channels her expressive and authentic personality and allows herself to unwind, through being creative.
Pam Friedman
Pam was born in London, lived in Zambia and Portugal, before settling in South Africa when she was 5 years old. Pam was always a creative spirit, creating murals on walls and doodling on pieces of paper. Pam studied graphic art for matric, after which she pursued a diploma in graphic design and marketing, while simultaneously converting to Judaism. Pam has continued to paint and draw throughout her motherhood, giving her the space and time to experiment with different mediums, selling most of her pieces to overseas clients. Pam’s art mainly focuses on the power and beauty that women portray through vulnerability, authenticity, and their innate need to protect their families.
Noa Gershuni
At just 18 years old, Noa is passionate young woman, who uses art to discover the beauty and simplicity of everyday life. Noa uses splashes of colour to create abstract pieces, where viewers are encouraged to not only focus on what the eye sees, but also what the heart feels.
Toni G
Toni, born in Johannesburg, is largely self-taught artist. From a young age, Toni’s experimentation with various mediums paved the way for her diverse range of art forms from mixed media, to pop, and abstract pieces, each brought to life through a dynamic use of powerful colours on diverse surfaces like canvas, plywood, perspex, and paper. In recent years, Toni G's talent has graced numerous exhibitions and galleries, with her paintings finding homes across the globe. Her art is inspired and reflective of her experiences while traveling, and the beauty of nature.
Megan Gordon
Since the age of 6, Megan has used her creative talents to paint, bake, photograph, and design. After completing school, Megan obtained a higher certificate in art and design and then proceeded to study graphic design. Currently, Megan is working in an interactive art studio and bakes delicious baked goods under name MG's Creations.
Sandra Gordon
Sandra, originally from Holland, met her husband in Israel and converted to Judaism. Since 1995, Sandra has been creating murals and teaching art. Sandra lives with immense gratitude and has written a book called Spiritual and Physical Weather.
Danit Gordon
Danit, born in Johannesburg, always loved to create and design art using all forms and mediums. Danit obtained a degree in Fashion Design and then went on to study makeup artistry. Although she is no longer involved in the fashion industry, Danit still loves to express herself through clothing, makeup, and art. Watercolour painting has always been Danit’s chosen medium as it allows for freedom and movement yet still requires focus and precision. Danit is constantly inspired by beauty in all forms and painting offers a place for her to meditate and reflect on the beauty in the world.
Nicole Hoffmann
Nicole, is a graphic designer based in Johannesburg. She currently works as a creative specialist, building brands in the beauty industry. She holds a Bachelor of Honours in Graphic Design from the University of Nottingham Trent and her interests include the psychology of colour, typography, and visual information design. In her art, Nicole employs bold colour and dramatic line work to evoke emotion and meaning. Nicole is the Creative Director of the Malka Ella Art Auction & Exhibition.
Terry Ann Kalinko
Terry Ann is an established South African painter, an ‘Arts imitates life artist.’ Her work is reminiscent of the French impressionists with her evocative use of light and colour. Terry Ann has held numerous solo art exhibitions, and her paintings are hanging in corporate and private art collections both locally and abroad. Terry Ann embraces all genres - nature, still lifes, Jerusalem, ketubahs and chuppahs, and is frequently commissioned. Initially a watercolourist, Terry Ann now paints oil on canvas. Terry Ann is also an authoress and has recently written, illustrated and published her first children’s book ‘Berry Merry Catfish’ where she offers a curious blend of truth and fantasy.
Dina Kaplan
Dina has been creating and painting under the guidance of her artistic grandmother since a very young age. After her time spent in Israel she completed an Honours degree in Fine Art, graduating with distinction. Since then, Dina has held 2 solo exhibitions and has taught art privately. Through her semi abstract and sometimes monochrome work she aims to convey a Judaic and sublime spirituality. Dina is presently focused on nurturing her family but occasionally finds time to dip into her pallet.
Alexandra Khazin
Alexandra is a French born self-taught artist who has been living in South Africa with her family for the past seven years. Alexandra has a Master in expressive arts therapy and mental health counselling and has a practice of art and creativity teaching for adults. Some of her pieces are to be exhibited at the Turbine Art Fair 2023 and she is planning a solo exhibition in Paris for 2024. Alendra’s style is eclectic, with a focus on searching for inner freedom through mixed media and abstract exploration. Having had a personal history with fertility related complications, the donation of the artworks is particularly meaningful for her.
Jennifer Kopping
Jennifer, who was born in Johannesburg, holds a teaching diploma, an Honours and Masters in Fine Art, and a PhD in Arts. As an educator, academic, community engagement project manager, researcher and practising artist, Jennifer has presented workshops and has published and presented academic papers both locally and internationally. Recently, her work was exhibited in New York at the Dr Bernard Heller Museum, the Association of Arts, and the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre. Jennifer is a past winner of the New Signatures national art competition and has her works in numerous private and corporate collections.
Philippa Kotzen Graff
Philippa, who has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, has taught extensively in formal educational institutions and in her private studio for many years. Philippa has exhibited in Johannesburg, and her works can also be found in many private collections. Philippa is committed oil painter, whose paintings exhibit tactile qualities with textured surfaces on which expressive mark-making and painterly brushstrokes are applied. Philippa’s sense of colour is evident throughout her work, which depicts abstract images of nature and themes including urbanization and deforestation, with an emphasis on global warming.
Candice Kramer
Candice, born in Johannesburg, holds a Bachelor of Arts. Her first solo shows were held at Obert Contemporary and NIROX projects respectively, and her work has been acquired by both private and corporate collections including Spier, Nandos, RMB and First Rand. Candice was selected to be on the emerging painters show curated by Jessica Webster, was the winner of the Multi & New Media Category Award of the Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards, and the recipient of the Lizamore and Associates Mentorship award. In 2020 she held her third solo exhibition with Kalashnikovv gallery. Candice’s body of work references people, historic family photos and antiquated maps within the Johannesburg inner city setting. Candice looks to bring life and dynamism to the materials that have constructed her hometown, using these mediums to question her place, space and belonging and invoke a sense of nostalgia that highlights the passage of time.
Lara Kretzmer
Lara, who was born in East London, has a PhD in Genetics, and worked as a lecturer in Genetics, and a researcher in Cancer Epidemiology. Lara began painting after she stopped lecturing to look after her young children and shifted her focus from Science to Art. Lara’s work is deeply spiritual, and reflects her love of Judaism, incorporating prayers and words of Torah. She works in oils, acrylics, and mixed media and paints portraits incorporating Jewish themes and aspects of her subjects' lives. Lara is also a Hebrew calligrapher, and scripts and paints ketubahs.
Lauri Lalou
Lauri was born in Johannesburg and has a background in both Graphic Design and Fine Arts. Lauri has taught children and adults in school and privately. Lauri uses charcoal, oils, acrylic, installation, mixed media and fabric. Lauri uses her art to draw metaphors and imagery from her Jewish and cultural roots, family and natural surroundings to evoke memory, identity, and time.
Sarah Levin
Sarah, born in Johannesburg, spent a year in the Old City of Jerusalem after school where she spent time volunteering, exploring her heritage, and engaging in religious studies. Here, she grew her passion for Judaism, Israel and her Jewish Culture and feels these inform her art pieces. Sarah attends Mandi Brest Art Studio and is passionate about viewing and creating art. While Sarah enjoys experimenting and building her skills in different mediums, she particularly enjoys the vibrancy and softness of watercolours.
Kim Lieberman
Kim who lives and works in Johannesburg began her career with her first solo exhibition in 1996, since then she has shown both nationally and internationally Kim works in different mediums with the concept of wild integrity, or radical ethics being at the forefront of her concerns. Through interfacing with the South African Constitutional Court over the years, she has work in their collection, but most importantly from this interface she has had a close up look at the radical integrity that was part of the Court's beginnings. Presently she is working on an exhibition that has a focus on Justice Yvonne Mokgoro.
Melisa Liebovitz
Melisa, born into a South African family of artists, uses various mediums such as acrylic paint, pewter or digital. Melisa’s experiences in graphic and creative design, infused with a hunger for capturing her imagination, produces art that reflects her most sincere thoughts and efforts into perfecting a piece that has connection, feeling, and emotion. Melisa believes that a blank canvas allows her heart and hand to passionately create art that explores her emotions and thoughts.
Batsheva Lurie
Batsheva was born in Johannesburg and after finishing school went on to study interior decorating and photography. After becoming a mother, she shifted her focus and in 2018 started her own baby food company. Batsheva has always had a deep passion for art and in her spare time she enjoys using this inspiration to be creative.
Tamar Mazabow
Tamar, born in Johannesburg, is a foundation phase teacher who is passionate about teaching children. Tamar studied art in matric and is continuously exploring her passion for art and creativity. Tamar's preferred style is pencil drawing, specifically of realistic portraits, as well as oil painting, and incorporating various other mediums.
Lana Meltzer
Lana, who has always had a passion for anything creative, began her career in fashion as a buyer. Then between married life and raising her children, Lana ventured into interior design. Using her creative skills, Lana initiated a community service offering décor for special occasions and started painting ceramics and on mixed media canvases. Lana’s artworks are mostly influenced by her passion for Torah and the magnificent world around us. Lana also teaches Torah classes.
Bevlee Michel
Bevlee, who grew up in a small country town in Mpumalanga, has been drawing and painting her entire life. Bevlee graduated with a Bachelor degree in Fine Arts degree and an Honours in Painting. For more than 30 years, Bevlee ran her own art school, teaching both adults and children and has exhibited widely in many group and solo exhibitions. In 2019, Bevlee closed her art school to devote herself full-time to drawing and painting pieces. Bevlee is inspired by the concept of palimpsest in which something that has been reworked continues to bear the visible traces of its earlier form, allowing work to manifest in varied and unpredictable forms.
Janet Pollack
Janet, born in Johannesburg, began her art career at the age of seven, graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts. Janet works on commissions, has exhibited extensively, has been part of the Antique Dealres Faire and Decorex, and since 1990 has been teaching art to pupils of all ages in her home studio. Janet, who has a passion for diverse mediums and subjects, loves the joy of colour paint quality and texture.
Tal Prissman
Tal was born in Jerusalem and currently lives in Johannesburg. While Tal’s background is in interior design, her is most passionate about working in illustration and graphic design. Tal has explored and worked with a variety of mediums, including lino printing.
Devorah Rothman
Dev, who began her journey of making art when she was young, has completed courses in art and art therapy at schools in New York and South Africa. Dev currently runs MomSquad, is studying psychology with the intention of becoming an art therapist, is an art teacher, and is also a psychosocial support worker in a long-term psychiatric facility, where she incorporates art into psycho-educational workshops. Dev’s work predominantly contains themes of mental health awareness, womanhood and emotions. Through her art Dev hopes to invite the viewer to create meaning from the abstraction, challenge their notions of colour, and contemplate the issues which are represented in her work.
Lauren Samakosky
Lauren, born in Johannesburg, has felt an affinity to the clay since she attended her first pottery lesson at the age of 10. For Lauren, the organic nature of clay and the intuitive directions in which it leads her, fuel her passion for this medium. While her greatest source of inspiration is nature, Lauren’s Jewish identity has deepened her interest in the various religious icons and the meaning behind their traditional use.
Roanne Schneider
Roanne was born in Johannesburg and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design. Roanne’s creative journey began 8 years ago when she started painting. Roanne’s preferred medium is oil paint. Roanne has a love for strong, graphic images, realism, and religious subject matter.
Megan Shapiro
Megan is a South African contemporary artist. Megan explores all her past experiences, both good and bad, and allows her concepts, beliefs and feelings to come to the surface. Megan relies on texture to help her navigate the many feelings each piece represents, as she believes texture is symbolic of one’s feelings, and emotions are the textures of our personalities.
Judy Shear
Judy, born in Johannesburg, holds a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts, a Higher Diploma in Education, and Higher Diploma in Fine Arts. Judy has worked at George Boys’ Art Studio and at the Johannesburg Art Foundation under Bill Ainslee. Judy is also an art teacher and has extensive teaching experience in private studios as well as public and private schools. Judy has participated in many group exhibitions throughout the years and has work in private collections.
Shannen Shneier
Shannen, a Johannesburg-based artist, holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and is currently a teacher at Hirsch Lyons. As an artist, educator, and community member, Shannen dedicates herself to fostering creativity, encouraging exploration, and spreading joy through her art. Shannen’s captivating style blends classic training with the kitsch and sincere and her art reveals the hidden value in everyday objects and moments, focusing on joy and pleasure.
Adina Sieff
Adina, born in Johannesburg, holds a Bachelors degree in English and Psychology and is currently completing her Honours. Aligning with her love of forging connections with people and helping them through their challenges, Adina aims to pursue a career in Educational Psychology. Adina, a student at Mandi Brest’s art studio, is not only passionate about art but feels that painting is a vessel that allows her to unwind and express herself. Adina is excited to exhibit her piece for Malka Ella.
Cathy Simon
Cathy, who was born in Johannesburg, holds a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts. Cathy has participated in several group exhibitions and has also exhibited solo at the AVA gallery in Cape Town. Cathy’s work deals with a mix of genres and she uses nails and ribbon overlaid, and enlarged photostats of precious personal historic photos to create her pieces.
Hannah Snaid
Hannah is a young artist, currently studying for a Bachelors degree in Digital Design. Hannah, who is a student at Mandi Brest’s art studio, loves being creative and feels she can truly express herself through creating art. Hannah hope that one day, she will be able to share her work with the world.
Kara Stoler
Kara, born in Johannesburg, found her passion for art at a young age. Kara completed a double major in Fine Art and Psychology in Canada, and then did a Masters degree in Genetic Counselling in South Africa. Kara’s love for art has always been part of her identity. While she currently owns a jewellery brand ‘Emme and Opal’, Kara keeps her passion alive by creating art pieces in her spare time.
Catherine Trope
Catherine, an art therapist who has worked in both, New York and Johannesburg, consistently endeavours to cultivate her artistic and creative impulses. Catherine’s artistic interests reside in the conjunction of art, philosophy, and social commentary. Catherine’s work, which has been showcased in various group exhibitions, reflects the eclectic range of her interests and provides a deliberate amalgam of diverse cultural, ideological, and aesthetic elements to capture and disclose the arbitrariness of what we hold to be true and real. Her work is built on the premise of art as a vehicle for reflection which is capable of affording the individual a better understanding of self.
Lia Tucker
Lia, who currently lives in South Africa, was born in São Paulo, Brazil, where she studied architecture and urban planning. Lia also learned live-model drawing under Jewish artist Jacqueline Aronis and limestone sculpting at the Brazilian Museum of Sculpture - MuBe. During time spent in Israel, Lia was exposed to artists specializing in various media, and also spent a month at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design.