My second mural in the Holy Land was in Jerusalem. I busily worked on the project for eight days and finally had two days to be a tourist in the Old City. Since my schedule wasn’t fully set at that time, I wasn’t sure if I’d have any more days to ever see the city. I had to explore even if it was cold and rainy. I quickly learned that the streets and sidewalks in Jerusalem flooded every time it rains. My sneakers were the wrong kind of shoes. Some kind of sturdy boots would have been a much wiser choice. Since Moses was nowhere to be seen to part the waters, I had to wade through the flood on my own. My feet were cold and wet.
Of course, I got sick, but it had to be done!
As my schedule unfolded, my fifth mural was in Beit Hanina, a suburb north of the Old City of Jerusalem. It was a quick and easy ride from the front gate of the Helen Keller School to the Damascus Gate into the Old City. I took it frequently – very fortunately in dry and warmer weather. And, I explored the Old City as much as I wanted, to my great satisfaction.
My favorite souvenirs from my travels are usually the portraits I take of friends and interesting strangers. My goal on this trip was to gather and draw three portraits from this experience – an Arab, a Jew, and a Christian. I painted with all three communities, so I hoped to locate some faces that inspired me to draw.
The term “arabesque” refers to a form of artistic decoration with rhythmic, intricate linear patterns that interlace like flowers, tendrils, and foliage. Arabic art often contains repeated geometric and ornate lettering. The actual term comes from French (arabesque) and Italian (arabesco) which means “in the Arabic style”.
You aren’t going to find repeated geometric patterns or ornate lettering on this woman’s face, but it is a face with intricate linear patterns. I captured this portrait while on the bus from Beit Hanina to the Damascus Gate. Sometimes, I draw people I know from my travels. Those portraits are coming. On other occasions, I draw complete strangers who capture my attention. This woman had no idea I snapped the photograph. If I pulled out my camera, I wouldn’t have been able to take it. But, it is amazing what you can do with a phone these days. Since nearly everyone on the bus used their phone, I was able to merrily snap away.
So, here is my first portrait from the Holy Land.