Jewish Stories July '09

This work is titled Jewish Calendar. There were 13 pieces in total each of which represent the months of the Jewish Calendar, the 13th one is the unique month allocated for the leap year. Each of them are 150mm square and have a resin finish.

Why chose the marking of time? Such is the challenge to mark the journey, to document travel as it takes place. Leaving markings is likened to adding a stone to the memorial so that we can remember where we have come from and tell those that follow us how to get there. Such is the Jewish oral tradition of storytelling. Let me tell you a story but let me use pictures. I know that you have trouble remembering so I will use colour and that way it will be easier for you to retell.

Let me tell you a story, a Jewish baby was born during the rule of Julius Caesar and while Quirinius was governor of Syria. His birth was marked by an angelic visitation of heaven's throng singing praise anthems for the arrival of God on earth. Lowly shepherd guests arrived at the manger scene, followed by elite wise men who had followed the eastern star that appeared marking the time when the God man punctured planet earth and entered our stage. This all happened in an instant. God entered, it wasn't his first appearance but the longings for his arrival had been there since Adam. When will the Messiah come? We long for his arrival was the Jewish heartsong. How long LORD, Faithful and True, before you come to deliver us from those that oppress us?

And God entered. Many scenes later from when Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden.

God entered. Not as expected. Not as foreknown. Not as a giant not even as a king even more vulnerable than shepherd boy.


He came as a baby.


He, the God who spoke the planet and its surrounds into being, entered.


He couldn't hold his head up. God. He was covered with skin and had small limbs. God. His fingernails were tiny, his toes all soft. God. His smell was new and his scalp brushed with dark soft hair. His eyes were closed and he screamed as he emerged from the birth canal of his teenage mother. God. He was hungry and milk was what he craved. God. Mary was worn out from the birth and Joseph had to chase the nieghbouring cattle away from the scene. His first cradle was a feeding trough. God.

God had entered. His first breath of human air was warmed by the visiting shepherds flock. God was with us. He is called Immanuel.