An exhibition filled with depth and magic
Shoshi will be opening a new exhibition this weekend featurring works largely about grief and loss, but more importantly, the love that grief stems from.
When Shoshi Jacobs was a child, she wanted to be an artist and a teacher. And she has well and truly become both of those things. The art therapist who works predominantly with children is also an artist who says she’s “passionate about understanding the workings of our inner worlds”.
“Being both an artist and an art therapist, I’ve always understood the significance of creating meaning through the use of symbol and imagery. For me, art has the power to connect us with our personal truths,” she told The AJN.
Jacobs admits that she has never been technically skilled, explaining that her process is purely intuitive. She also said that she never really knew who she was as an artist until about five years ago, when she started painting as a form of her own therapy, making her uniquely qualified to help those she works with.
“My process is purely intuitive. It allows for a space where the mind has the opportunity to either quiet down or become louder and truly make sense of things in a safe and honest way,” she said. “The canvas never lies.”
Jacobs says that she rarely has a conscious plan of what she is going to paint, so each piece holds its own energy and its own story.
“When I am painting, there is a spiritual component. Words and messages come to me – sometimes they stem from an emotional place and other times through what feels to be a somewhere else. It may be for this reason that all my works include birds – my whimsical personal messengers,” she explained. “I am also aware that there is a Jewish element to my work. Even though I’m not a religious person, I’ve always felt that my Judaism is a huge part of who I am.”
Jacobs will be opening a new exhibition this weekend, titled The Winged Ones, which features works largely about grief and loss, but more importantly, the love that grief stems from.
“I often begin my paintings by moving through layers of darkness, but I always come through to the other side where the faith is much larger. Every piece is like a portal – moving from one space to the next – any heaviness can be lifted and through my paintbrush, past memories that were once painful have been infused with light. I understand that retelling stories in new ways can create new realities,” she said, explaining that she comes from a family of storytellers. She is the granddaughter of Jacob G Rosenberg, who was a renowned writer and poet.
“I often think of him when I’m creating,” she said. “He would tell me tales when I was little and over the years, I have become aware that the symbols from those stories and his poems make an appearance for me too.”
As people move through the exhibition, Jacobs wants them simply to feel the depth and magic of each painting.
“To me, they are parts of my soul, literally on display. I’m nervous but excited to have others connect with my work.”
The Winged Ones is at Compendium Gallery, Armadale from June 16 to July 1. For more information, visit shoshijacobs.com
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