Fine Art
FATHER'S DAY TRIBUTE
Painting of a Holocaust Survivor by Karen Loew
Survivor
(Portrait of Moshe Meisler, 1924-2020) Oil on Canvas ~ 16 x 12 inches © Karen Loew |
"My dad was a quiet and humble man who survived the Holocaust to become a hero in the Israel Independence war. His operatic voice was his form of communicating with the world. He remained loyal to God and believed in the goodness of mankind." ~ Esther Muller, Moshe Meisler's daughter Description: Moshe is wearing a prayer shawl (Tallit) and Tefillin on his forehead and arm. They are an important part of a regular prayer ritual worn by orthodox men.
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STORY BEHIND THE PAINTING
Karen explains her relationship with Moshe's daughter, Esther, and her memories of this brave Holocaust survivor.
I completed this painting a couple months ago as a special tribute to my friend's father.
I met Esther Muller through a mutual friend. We were attending a gala for Yaddo (artist retreat near Saratoga, New York) and seated at the same table for dinner. It was on the top floor of the Puck Building in New York City. Shortly after that meeting, I started working with Esther as a designer/admin helping her advertise her real estate school and working with her real estate clients. I worked with her from 2006 - 2022. She is a fabulous person to work with.
My fondest memories of Moshe Meisler are from two bar mitzvah events. His oldest grandson Jonah had his bar mitzvah ‘after party’ in Montauk. He and Esther’s mother made the trip from Israel. I enjoyed watching him dance in celebration. I also spent time with the family at the bar mitzvah of the younger grandson, Eli. This was held in Netanya, Israel. He was one of the select participants in the service. It was very special.
I completed this painting a couple months ago as a special tribute to my friend's father.
I met Esther Muller through a mutual friend. We were attending a gala for Yaddo (artist retreat near Saratoga, New York) and seated at the same table for dinner. It was on the top floor of the Puck Building in New York City. Shortly after that meeting, I started working with Esther as a designer/admin helping her advertise her real estate school and working with her real estate clients. I worked with her from 2006 - 2022. She is a fabulous person to work with.
My fondest memories of Moshe Meisler are from two bar mitzvah events. His oldest grandson Jonah had his bar mitzvah ‘after party’ in Montauk. He and Esther’s mother made the trip from Israel. I enjoyed watching him dance in celebration. I also spent time with the family at the bar mitzvah of the younger grandson, Eli. This was held in Netanya, Israel. He was one of the select participants in the service. It was very special.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Karen Loew is a long-standing artist member of the Salmagundi Club and serves on the Board of Directors. The club, located in Manhattan, is one of the oldest art clubs in the United States. As the first woman committee chair of the Coast Guard Art Program (COGAP), she has led the committee since 2001 and was recently honored with Emeritus status. She is the liaison between Salmagundi, the program sponsor, and the United States Coast Guard.
In 2002, the Coast Guard sent her to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) to document activities of Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305. She is frequently a speaker at COGAP events and has presented webinars about the art program. In December 2019, she deployed to the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) in Charleston, SC and created three paintings for COGAP.
Karen is a recipient of COGAP’s top honor, the George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence for her painting “Harbor Rendezvous.” She was given the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award in 2011, the highest recognition given to those who have made outstanding contributions in advancing the Coast Guard's mission. She considers her volunteer work as COGAP artist and Committee Chair to be the most meaningful of her art career.
Karen continues to be a regular contributor of her paintings to the COGAP program. Her work is in numerous private collections, including the Curator’s Collection at Salmagundi Club.
In 2002, the Coast Guard sent her to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (GTMO) to document activities of Coast Guard Port Security Unit 305. She is frequently a speaker at COGAP events and has presented webinars about the art program. In December 2019, she deployed to the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA) in Charleston, SC and created three paintings for COGAP.
Karen is a recipient of COGAP’s top honor, the George Gray Award for Artistic Excellence for her painting “Harbor Rendezvous.” She was given the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award in 2011, the highest recognition given to those who have made outstanding contributions in advancing the Coast Guard's mission. She considers her volunteer work as COGAP artist and Committee Chair to be the most meaningful of her art career.
Karen continues to be a regular contributor of her paintings to the COGAP program. Her work is in numerous private collections, including the Curator’s Collection at Salmagundi Club.
