לשמוט Lishmot
Anat Szendro Sevilla
, Robyn Awend
About Anat Szendro Sevilla
Anat and Robyn met in 2012 and were instantly connected. We worked together for two years facilitating the Minneapolis Jewish Artists Laboratory and have since collaborated on numerous art initiatives including artist residencies, personal artworks and more. Together we embrace the power of art to make change in the world and offer new ways of thinking about personal identity within the larger context of society.Anat Szendro Sevilla is a creative thinker, a visual designer and an instructor. She completed her Bachelor of Design from Bezalel Academy of Art, studied NLP and is currently pursuing her Masters in HCI (Human Computer Interaction). She is interested in the intersection of emotions, creativity and design. Anat has facilitated the Jewish Artists’ Laboratory, bringing together artists to discuss various aspects of creativity, Jewish text, and visuals.Robyn Awend is an art director, multi-media artist, and activist. Her background in fine arts and curation has led her work in the Twin Cities arts community for the past fifteen years. Robyn’s personal artwork uses words and word fragments to inspire her letterpress prints and interactive installations, exploring identity through various cultural and societal influences.
About לשמוט Lishmot
We are in a very special moment. This current Shmita year, which only occurs every 7 years in the Jewish cycle, is an invitation to take a significant pause in our daily lives. Shmita is still practiced today in parts of Israel, however the wisdom of Shmita goes beyond agriculture. It is a chance to explore things that may no longer serve us; unhealthy habits and behaviors, negative thoughts, listening more and saying less.In this piece, the inverted tree represents this year of Shmita. The tall, outstretched branches lie fallow, and the underground roots contain the rich growth that we typically see and experience above ground. This signifies the reflective nature of this nurturing year. The earthy colors pay homage to the fall season when change is evident, when leaves transition from vibrant oranges, reds, yellows and greens to browns and beige. This color spectrum encompasses the range of personal emotions and feelings that we experience in times of release.