Rabbi Hanniel Levenson, was born in Haifa, Israel and his formative years were shaped in Manhattan, NYC. Hanniel received a B.A. in Religion & Art from New York University, a Master of Science in Environmental Policy from Bard College, and Rabbinical Ordination from The Academy for Jewish Religion. Hanniel was also a competitive gymnast for 15 years and is now a yoga teacher, painter and surfer. Painting is a sacred art and physical therapy. Studying texts from the world’s wisdom traditions Hanniel turns to the canvas to integrate the teachings into his being. Using small brushes and markers on large canvases it becomes a full body experience. Linking the breath with the brush Hanniel explores new meanings through color.
About In the Garden with You
The garden of Eden for me is an inititaion and not necessarily a destination. Through the text as well as midrashim and kabbalistic teachings I sought to explore on a visual level this dynamic foundational story through paint. From the reader, through the characters and onto the canvas I am exploring an eternal moment. In this painting I learn about fear suffering and love, caring for our earth, and seeking the hidden reflection of the divine through it all. In the Garden with You seeks out the tree of life found within each on of us.