Paradise Found: A Menorah Celebrating the Garden of Eden

Making Menorahs
Karen feels right at home when she is creating artwork. And, creating menorahs has been an especially fun avenue for her over the years. So, when art consultant, Jeff Kraft, approached Karen about creating a large-scale menorah for an upcoming show, she was certainly up for the challenge. The menorah that Jeff requested was for the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. The Tulsa, Oklahoma museum was planning a show based on Biblical images in art. Karen knew that her trademark style, in combination with the Bible story of Adam and Eve would be a perfect combination for the menorah.

Through the Years
Karen's very first menorah, which she created over 20 years ago, was a rather large piece. It was certainly much larger than the typical menorahs that are sold in gift shops and temples today. It was so large that standard retailers said they couldn't carry it unless she made a smaller version. However, the Adam and Eve menorah that she just finished creating for the Jewish Museum rivals even that first piece. It measures 6 feet long and 2 feet high. In this case, of course, it was intended to be large, an impressive piece of artwork that incorporates the Jewish tradition of the menorah with the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden.

Take a Look
To see the newest Karen Rossi creation for yourself, the "Sons of Adam, Daughters of Eve: Biblical Images in Art from Tulsa Collections" show will be running from October 28, 2007 through January 20, 2008. The museum is located at 2021 East 71st Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Visit the website, www.jewishmuseum.net for more information.