INSPIRE ME! Artist, Flora Rosefsky

My “folk art” style of illustration evolved from simple doodling 

or sketching family members when my children were very young.  

~ FLORA ROSEFSKY

"Self Portrait" by Flora Rosefsky. Paper Cutout

By Ernest Disney-Britton

Flora Rosefsky lives in Georgia, but I found out about her through NYC's Jewish Art Salon, which is a credit not only to Flora but also to the networking of this community of artists. I guess it would be more accurate to say that Flora found us, and I think you will be thrilled with this discovery. Flora's mixed-media collages, including the self-portrait above are often inspired by her Jewish heritage and interweaves her secular world with a unique spirituality. A&O is proud to introduce you to a great believer and creator, Flora Rosefsky, INSPIRE ME! Artist of Month.

1. What is your faith tradition, and where did you develop into an artist who explores religion? I am Jewish, belonging to a Conservative synagogue, who also feels comfortable with the Reform, Reconstructionist and Orthodox movements. As an active adult Jewish communal volunteer in Upstate New York, and after my first trip to Israel in the 1970s, I explored the Jewish religion beyond what I already knew.
   

2. How do you describe your art? What style or genre is it? My art manifests a narrative quality of storytelling, some personal and others from Jewish text sources. Style can be “folk-art” drawings or paper cutout collage, where like Matisse, I enjoy cutting directly into color. I also work with mixed media materials for small installation pieces.
   
   
3. Have you ever had to defend exploring religious themes? There were certain family members who questioned why I was creating more and more work with Jewish concepts or themes when the world of prospective collectors “out there” were not necessarily those who would purchase Jewish work.
   
   
4. What do your collectors say about your work? Collectors often enjoy the message or stories within my work that identify particular religious or universal themes that are important in their own lives. They also like my use of vivid colors and a surprising use of ephemera (found paper) in some of the collage work.

5. Who would you like to collect your work, and why? Individuals of any faith who appreciate my work and enjoy it in their homes are those I hope will become collectors. Museums, synagogues, universities, colleges or Jewish Community Centers would also be wonderful places to collect my work so that larger audiences can interact with what I try to convey. 

6. What artists have influenced your style? My “folk art” style of illustration evolved from simple doodling or sketching family members when my children were very young. I admired the artists Klee, Kandinsky, Miro and Matisse where color and form could be whimsical and somewhat dreamlike. For cutouts, Matisse would definitely be the most influential. 

7. Where can A&O readers find other artists like yourself? My “folk art” style of illustration evolved from simple doodling or sketching family members when my children were very young. I admired the artists Klee, Kandinsky, Miro and Matisse where color and form could be whimsical and somewhat dreamlike. For cutouts, Matisse would definitely be the most influential. 

Flora began her career as a self-taught folk artist while living in upstate New York and later studied art at Syracuse University and Binghamton University. Presently she works at her studio at The Sycamore Place Gallery & Studios, 120 Sycamore Place - Decatur, GA 30030. Flora is also the immediate past president of The American Guild of Judaic Art, having served from June 2010 to May 2012. To connect with Flora, please visit her website at www.florageart.com, or she can be reached at 404-633-7896 or by email florageart(at)att.net. You will most certainly be inspired!