If you are seeking a unique and personalized Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah gift to commemorate a special day for a boy or girl, I would be delighted to create a work of art that will be a permanent reminder of the day they are welcomed into the community as a full participant.

I am always struck when a bride or groom comes to me for a wedding invitation or ketubah, reminding me that I created Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah artwork for them many years ago. Many tell me that the artwork hung in their dorm room through their college years and now hangs in their current home. They consider it one of the most meaningful gifts they have ever received, to be enjoyed as a reminder of an important time in their lives. Their parents sometimes share that they had hoped the artwork would remain in their family home, and are disappointed when the children take it with them when they move out.

Those who trust my ability to take a passage and turn it into something special, telling me to go forth and have fun with it, keep my creative juices flowing as pens and brushes play on the paper.

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GATHERING INFORMATION: Whether you are a family member or good friend, it will be helpful if you know the chapters and verses the child will read from the week's Torah and Haftarah portions. I will be happy to read through the portion to help find a meaningful verse to use. (My Chumash is filled with brackets around appropriate passages for each week's reading.) Some portions yield wonderful verses; in others we have to search for one. Many passages inspire visual imagery to use in the artwork. It is also helpful if you share something about the child's personality, interests, likes, and dislikes, as well as Hebrew and English names and the date of their Bar or Bat Mitzvah.

CALLIGRAPHY AND DESIGN: The artwork begins with a blank page, and all calligraphy and artwork are written, drawn and painted at my drawing board. I use high quality materials in the creation of the artwork: gouache (opaque watercolor paint) on Arches watercolor paper. Because the look of framing and matting are so personal, I leave that to you, delivering the artwork unframed.

PRICING REALITIES: Pricing is determined by an hourly rate, and is affected by the amount of information and complexity of design. Reality is that the cost of original artwork is a little more dear than the figure many hope to spend on a gift. Most of the commissions for Bar Mitzvah or Bat Mitzvah artwork come from parents, grandparents, a very special friend, or a group of friends who pool their resources. I ask clients to share their budget with me, and then create a design that falls within their range, usually from about $300-600, though sometimes it is more.

For more ideas, you can view other artwork I've created under baby naming certificates, birth announcements, and other sections you will find on this web site.