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by Yaeli Vogel

A Decade

A decade As I reflect upon the decade that is now coming to a close, it’s freakin amazing how much a person can actually accomplish. My background is extremely humble and I always wanted more. I never knew how I was going to get it and set out on this dream. I’d watch Shark Tank every single week, religiously. Trying and thinking of business idea after business idea. Each time there was a reason why not. I was relentless about my ideas. I then opened up an arts and crafts business called Glitter and Glue. It was so much fun but I had no way of scaling it, got burnt out and shut it down. I tried making headbands, walking into stores and selling them. That worked but my heart wasn’t in it. (Clearly that was a factor!) I did summer camps for kids. That was ultimate burnout. Crossed it off the list! I thought of idea after idea and I remember laying down on my apartment floor thinking how in the world was I ever going to buy a house?! I had no savings, couldn’t rely on my parents or in laws financially and trying to make each month. All while being a part time teacher. Teaching was great. Kids are my first love and it’s so refreshing hanging out with them. But I disliked the work vs pay. For the amount of work I was putting in, I wasn’t being significantly appreciated. I knew it in the depths of my heart and it bothered me. When I told my boss - the principal, I was leaving, she begged me to reconsider. She told me I had a gift and was talented in teaching. She said “I had it” and if I ever wanted to come back, I could. Honestly, if the teacher salary would have been higher, I would have probably still been doing that right now (and if my artist spirt was dead) But I knew I couldn’t go on teaching. It wasn’t worth my efforts. If I’m in, I’m ALL in. I can’t be half and half. So I stayed home. I was going to be a stay at home mom. (A poor one but at least a happy one;)) Ya, that didn’t last either. I didn’t know to what extent at the time but I’m a doer! Doers need to DO. I had a degree in special ed and applied for a case through an agency. Got the case. That was the next two years. Good. Solid. Can’t complain. Ohhhh but I did! I was SO BORED. Was I just doomed?? Yep. Or That’s what I thought. I then emailed my Rabbi from seminary asking him if this is what life is supposed to feel like - grey and plain...He didn’t respond and I didn’t need him to. I was slowly figuring it out. I had a miscarriage during this time and took out some paints to get me through my thoughts and feelings of the time. I painted one painting every two nights for about three weeks. When the paintings were done, they were GOOD. It was exciting! I then went on to paint my sons shoes, my family at the beach, random scenery, and gifts for anyone I knew. I went outside and painted the water. I started to dabble. I’d go to my case in the mornings, come home and paint. Sometimes I’d stop in Michaels on the way home for supplies. The “greyness” was disappearing! I remember telling a colleague at work that I’d love to start a business ONE DAY...and that if I’d ever leave special ed that’s what I’d do. Ohhh, watch your words! Be careful what you wish for...!! But as it goes one step backwards, 20 steps forwards....September came along. They let me go. There was no cases for me - aka - I was fired. Breathing. Breathing. Not breathing. Why was I going to do? No monthly income. Omg. Nothing to rely on?! HOW? WERE? WE? GOING? TO? MAKE? IT? I called my husband, unable to speak through my tears and he said - tzadik of a human - were going to be fine, this is the best thing that ever happened to you. You’re going to paint. You’ll see. So I took a deep breath, and began painting. ALL IN. I was a starving artist, in the very essence of the word. I never went shopping. Not even for food. I’d buy art supplies before it. I saved all my dollars. I’d make leftovers for supper and then use the leftovers for leftovers. I was on a mission. I didn’t care what anyone thought. I’d make aluminum pans out of silver foil. I wouldn’t drive much so no need for that much gas. That’s how calculated I became. (It was the best for me to learn, since I’m naturally a big spender. I’ll never forget what I learned) I learned that every dollar equals $100. Think before you spend. Don’t use three tissues if you can use one. Things I never thought of before, rose to the surface and became apparent. I wasn’t fanatic by any means, but we were on a tight tight budget = zero. Nada. Lucky for us, our kids were very little and didn’t ask for much then. I never knew how resourceful I was, until I was put to the challenge. (All learned from my mother - watching her while I was growing up) I sewed the hems, cleaned my house, cooked and baked everything myself. And painted. Then came the best part which was free - SOCIAL MEDIA. And I committed to it. I posted each and every day. When you post, you need to have what to post....so I painted each and every day! I gave myself goals. Painting goals, posting goals and followers goals. No one knew me. No daddy with contacts. No mama with contacts. No neighbors with contacts. (Contacts that buy art I mean) I was a complete nobody to anyone outside of my close family and friends. But hey, I had a paintings to sell with a message behind each one, I needed the world to know me! So I virtually knocked on every persons door. I requested to follow them. If they’d see who’s knocking, they just might enjoy the art! I wasn’t embarrassed at all - I was doing them a favor by introducing them to beautiful and moving artwork! I don’t know if it was my mindset or the art, or both, but it worked! People started to jump on board and then word of mouth spread like wild fire. I would sit on my couch every single Sunday for a year and follow people. (Sunday was the day everyone was on) I was painting late passed midnight most nights of the week, building my collection. People were messaging me, asking to view my works and purchase - this was crazy! I would read the messages over and over again, debating if it was real. Omg!!! I had a business growing from under neath me! I hired an agent. He wanted me to sign a contract. I didn’t like the contract. We parted ways. Continued posting. Then collaborating. Got more followers on board. And slowly slowly built myself up. With one sale, I was able to scan a few works. Then put out a print. No one purchased it. So I would put the print option on the site without inventory and print when someone was interested. That worked. Saved and built some more. One giclee turned to two. Some got ruined in shipping. Shipping. That’s a thing. Figure that out. Then websites. Three of them. Build. Build. Build. Paint. Paint. Paint. Schlepping paintings from one private viewing to the next. Those days were hard but good. There’s nothing like building. It’s where all life happens - in the process. So much happened during that time. Ups and downs. Wins and losses. I would celebrate the wins like crazy and learn and try again with the looses. Nothing can come in the way of painting. It’s the air I breath and my world is SO colorful! For years and years I was trying to find the perfect business, and it was staring me dead in the face all along. Many times the thing that we do best, is the thing we should be doing but we can’t imagine it, because we do it so naturally. Why would someone actually pay dollars for this? Because, you are the best. Throughout this entire time, I davened (prayed) and strengthened my emunah with Hashem (G-d). I would close my eyes and envision what I wanted and calmly know that I was in good hands. (And sometimes extremely not calmly.) I’d also attach myself to virtual mentors via YouTube& Google, learning everything I didn’t know. With prayer, histadlus, learning and a lot of hard work, the sky is the limit. (*with the house, since you’re all wondering. We purchased a small tiny starter home back in 2013. We did it with an FHA loan, and put down $11,000. That’s it. With zero savings to back things up. No emergency cash. We would figure it out. Huge risk. It was old and untouched. Slowly, we flipped it ourselves. Ripping up carpets, freshly painting the walls, spray painting kitchen cabinets, tiling the floor, and painting the tub... after four years, we sold the home and moved to our current home.)

by Yaeli Vogel

Cleaning Up

Vibes are real even if we don’t see them. We feel it. We feel when there’s a positive feeling being exuded from someone. There’s a lightness in the air. There can also be a heaviness or uneasy, or negativity going around. We feel that too. What is it? It’s energy vibrations being set out from all of us. What kind of vibes are you putting out into the world? What do you want to world to have more of? How do you want to play your part? By infusing it with your good spirits or the opposite? Use the mask as the opportunity to pause and think. Think of what the world needs more of. Think of what your loved ones need more of, and what you need more of. Good energy. Positive spirits and great vibes! Let’s clean up this world together.

by Yaeli Vogel

Pieces of a Puzzle

I keep going back to this - pieces of a puzzle - We’re all in this together and every person counts... Everyone has what to add and share... One person is an entire world... We all have so much power!! With all that, we should be staying home. Staying home to stay safe and keep everyone around us safe. Right now we have to not use our power which is the greatest power. If one piece of the puzzle moves out - the entire puzzle can fall apart. So We’re home with a lot of time to fill. I was laying on the floor yesterday, playing with my 4.5 year old and baby when this idea popped in. I was thinking I’m bored. He’s bored. They’re bored. So paint? Why don’t we ALL paint? Why don’t we all paint something together?! Where everyone is a piece in the puzzle! ALL OF THE ARTWORKS WILL COME TOGETHER INTO ONE GIANT MASTERPIECE. You create an artwork. Then you either mail it back or take a photo and send it. Then when all the artworks are in, (in a few weeks time) I will compile them all into a giant painting. We will then donate the artwork with proceeds going to the organization. The ones who participated will be getting a print of the work. If you have paints that’s great! Use them. Whenever you want. If you don’t have access, then use any creative material you’d like - markers, crayons, pencils... #piecesofapuzzle - art challenge @yaelivogel Get out paints, ( if not then markers, crayons...anything you can create with) Paint anything you’d like! Abstract. Lines. Shapes. Image. Color by number. Whatever your heart desires, and where ever your emotions take you. Let it be whatever it is. Therapeutic...relaxing...letting go...a release...Anything peaceful...There are no rules to painting and no right way. Wear gloves while doing so. Take of pic of yourself painting and use hashtag #piecesofapuzzle and tag @yaelivogel to share this with your friends and have them do it too. Mail in your final product. (Or send in a pic of you’d prefer) We’re all in this together and every person counts. Everyone has what to add and share. One person is an entire world. When it’s all done, everyone who contributed a painting will receive a print of the finished GRAND masterpiece. The grand artwork will be donated. link for supplies: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AGL90/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JuTDEbW48ST73 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EVJ8Q0G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8ATDEbWZZNSQB

by Yaeli Vogel

Q & A!

Interview with Yaeli Vogel How did you get started making art? I always painted! Always had some paints stacked away that I would pull out. I started making paintings for my own home and then continued in that. Who are your favorite artists? Teil Duncan, Vladimir Volkov, Matisse, Gustav Klimt What inspires you? Has the inspiration changed over time? Happy life and people inspire me. Vibrant color and shapes also. My inspiration didn't change. I'm very consistent in what I gravitate towards Was your art always Jewish themed? Do you do other work? I don't only do Jewish themed. I like to call myself a contemporary artist and I weave that style into Judaic art as well How did you get into a gallery the first time? Do you only show in Jewish galleries? Do you find that other galleries are open to Jewish artwork? I got into a gallery by walking in and asking them if they wanted to represent my work -- they said yes. I then pulled out since I wanted to exclusively sell my work and keep the profit. Non-jewish galleries are open to Jewish art -- it's art! But to be practical you have to see where your clientele is How many hours a day do you usually work? Three to four hours a day. Sometimes less. Sometimes more. In the beginning it was a lot more Do you work on more than 1 piece at a time? I do work on more than one piece at a time How do you have your workspace set up? I keep my workspace as minimal as possible -- easel and paints. Nothing fancy In your beginning stages as an artist, when you were commissioned, how did you set a price? Is there a formula you used? Do you make a contract for the artwork before you begin? I always say that I paint the painting just like I would if it wasn't a commission. If they like it in the end, then they get first dibs. There's no contract or initial fees, or else it is a job and I don't like to work :-). I have a formula for pricing. You can check out Lachri fine art on YouTube for the formula -- type in how to price my artwork. Do you ever turn down work? Do you have criteria for what commissions you choose to accept or decline? I always turn down work. If I don't want to paint it or it isn't in my realm of ideas or style, I'm not doing it How do you price your work now that you are an established artist? I establish pricing based on my formula. I go up a percentage each year How do you keep customers coming back? I keep my customers by being relevant in their world. I show up. What do you find is the best way to promote yourself and your art? Best way to promote is online -- be everywhere that you can. YouTube Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Tik Tok…. Do you sell prints of your paintings? If yes, how do you decide which ones and how many? I decide which ones based on what's most popular and has most requests. I don't make prints of my large works since those can't be scanned and the people who buy large works probably want to have it exclusive, so it works out. I keep the prints on the site for 6 months to a year and then they go off forever. They are signed and dated. Do you, or would you recommend an emerging artist, use social media to sell art? Has it expanded your customer/collector base? I always recommend to use social media -- it's free!! Best way for an emerging artist to get a client base and have an audience How would you suggest an emerging artist go about getting into a gallery? Best way to get into a gallery is walking in and showing them your portfolio of work And last but not least… What advice would you give to students on how to become a successful artist once they are out of school? Market Market Market and practice practice practice -- paint everyday and for every painting, market it out on all the social platforms and get it sold.

by Yaeli Vogel

TAKE TWO

Wanna hear the story? Fine. Here goes...phew...I take pride in my own work. Always have. As any true artist would. We all like to be original and create our OWN work. And I did until a fateful moment. This was back a few years. I was just getting started and didn’t know much of the “rules”. But I had (and have) a big conscious. I just know...I was approached with a painting and asked if I could make something similar. I looked at it and thought it will be hard since I saw it and the image is in my head. With that, I said sure and painted the painting. It was beautiful but VERY similar to what I saw earlier. They loved it and we called it a day. I had no idea about who painted the original painting. Didn’t know if it was a male or a female, alive or not. I didn’t think to check. I didn’t know. But what I did know was that I had NOT created an original piece of work and transgressed one of my highest values. It NEVER sat well with me. Until one day, as I was walking down the stairs to grab breakfast, an email came in. I glanced to check. It was from a lawyer. What?! Who?!I quickly scroll and skim through, grabbing bits and pieces. It showed both paintings side by side, explaining that mine is clearly a copy of the other. It said that I need to have my painting DESTROYED within a week. My mind began to spin and I felt mush in my thighs. I didn’t know lawyer talk. I phoned my husband. He then called his lawyer friend and spilled the story. This was right after another copy case which had won and the lawyer told me to buckle forward because this could be won. 80%. I then told him - BUT I DID COPY. He calmly told me that I was thinking like a woman and I could put my emotions aside and fight it. In my spinning mind, I thought one thing very clearly. There was no way in hell that I was going to lie. I don’t lie. I hung up. I called my husband back and told him I’m not fighting. I told him I 100% did something wrong, it’s been bothering me ever since I did it and I want it erased from my conscious! I was dancing somewhere deep inside even though I wasn’t feeling it then. I KNEW it was the right thing.Then the most dreadful part of it all. Calling the collectors. They didn’t answer. The dial tone. Felt endlesssssss. I said I needed to speak to them immediately. They called back. They were obviously shocked. But within 15 minutes they texted me the images. The sight on my screen was one of the ugliest sights I’ve seen. Squares of rip and ruin! We then settled with either repainting a different image or a refund. They said they needed time to think it through. I sent the images to where it was supposed to be sent. I felt FREE and then I felt MAD. What in the world just happened?!? It was one of the coldest days of the year. My gallery was in my garage at the time without any heating. I wasn’t going to be defeated and I definitely wasn’t going to wallow in my sorrows. I was on a mission! I put on my coat and gloves and got to work! It was going to be the same concept but MY OWN! I thought, I schemed. I cropped, and edited, combining two wave pictures into one in my head and then on screen and began painting.I was so mad, that a life force overcame me. I wasn’t cold, time flew by and within three hours the Yam Suf that you all know and love was staring back at me. It was a moment. It was a moment of TRUTH! Go INSIDE and there you’ll find your answers!!It felt so concrete to me, so strong - I could touch the feeling in the painting!! I texted the painting to a few friends and they told me it was my best yet. I then decided to title it LET GO AND LET GD TAKE TWO. We all fail at it. It’s hard . But when we do, there’s always TAKE TWO. The hardest part is, admitting it.

by Ben Schorr

The Ivanka Painting

It all started with a simple photo. It was one that I had seen on Instagram while scrolling mindlessly one night. It just stopped me in my tracks! It was a photo of Ivanka Trump praying at the kosel. It was so vivid, the wall full of emotion with a woman praying deeply. It was oozing out of my screen. It took me directly to my saved photos where I inserted it for a later point. I knew I was painting it. The colors were being mixed sooner than I had expected. I moved a few other “to paint” paintings around and got working on Ivanka right away. When the inspiration hits, it hits! It was no easy feat, This image. Since the kotel is all one color, I had to focus on the bumps and texture and created that effect by painting layer after layer after layer. It took a long time and I remember thinking, what are you even doing Yaeli? Why are you putting in all this time? What’s your point? Then I thought, like I always do, if it’s for nothing, then I got great practice and that is worth every minute of my time! I was adding yet another layer, the brush swinging from one side to the next with added strokes, when I stood back and saw it. I saw the feeling. The one I saw in the beginning. Breathing a deep breath of accomplishment and satisfaction, I knew it was complete. People ood and aad at its sight, and as they did, I couldn’t help but wonder how long this painting would be stored with me. That thought annoyed me, so I just stuck the painting in between another few canvases where I could forget about it for the time being. People came to view paintings. We would go through them piles of canvases and Ivanka was always there. It was hard to forget about it. My mother’s husband, who is a huge supporter of my work, especially back in those early days, asked me what was with the painting? I said “nothing”. He then popped the idea of sending it to her directly. He said “ just send it to her!” What have you go to loose?? (Um. my painting. Minor detail.) I decided to do it. I told everyone on social media that I was doing this, this way it was real to me and I couldn’t back out. I managed to get a hold of Ivanka’s new Washington home address and got to work. It was Sunday afternoon. I sat down and put together a few words to send it off with. I wrote why I painted the painting and sent it out from behalf of myself and my entire community . I wrapped it up as well as I could. (Those were the days before custom boxes and headed straight for the post office. This was a large painting – 30” x 40” and I was waiting on line with it. I felt funny. When I got to the desk, I landed the painting with the address facing down - I was too embarrassed for the clerk to see where the parcel was headed! He gave me the tracking and told me it should arrive in about ten days. I knew that tracking number by heart. I checked it daily. It was in transit. Oh my gosh! This was all happening and it was exhilarating! Until…it wasn’t. I tracked it again, to see if it arrived and it said delayed. What did that mean? Where was it? These things can happen so I waited. Three days later, the same message appeared. I called. They said that it was in the post office near Washington and if it wasn’t going to be picked up then it would be shipped back. I was disappointed but relieved that my painting was alive and well. I then set a mental reminder to begin waiting for it to arrive back home ten days from where I was. It didn’t arrive back. I called the post office again and they said it had been removed. WHAT?? Removed to where? I was so nervous. Did someone throw it out? Was was I supposed to do? I figured something would turn up so I just waited. It originally shipped out in November, and by now it was December. I received a phone call from an unknown number and so naturally I didn’t respond. There was a voicemail. So I clicked and listened. I heard: “ Hi, Mr. Yaeli, this is the appraiser for the president of the United States….as I heard those words I back tracked the message to the beginning. WHO?? I listened again. The appraiser for the president of the United States of America!! He was calling regarding the painting and wanted to know it’s retail value. I immediately pressed the call back button and gave him the value. He informed me that there were a lot of gifts being sent their way and the ones they liked and wanted to keep, they purchase. He said we would be in touch. A month later I emailed him asking what was going on. Did Ivanka see the painting? He got back to me saying that he doesn’t quite know, but from what he’s heard, Ivanka really likes the painting. Great! I thought. It’s safe and good. All is well. I kept dreaming about different scenarios of Ivanka loving the painting. It excited me! Then one afternoon in the beginning of January, we received a letter. I actually didn’t see it. My husband saw it and texted a picture to me. It said TRUMP on it. I knew what it was. I just knew. He handed it to me when he got home and I open it up. It was a check for the retail value of the painting signed by Ivanka Trump. THAT was satisfying. There was no letter. Just a check. She liked it. She purchased it. And it’s hanging on her wall! If you want to do something, DO IT. Don’t listen to others opinions or beliefs. The way they view things is on them. If you can think it, and dream it, then how ever it will happen, you can do it. Don’t think of “how” think of “why” – why do you want to do it? The “why” will fuel you, and as it’s said “ nothing stands in front of desire.” YOU CAN DO IT. Anything.