Pomegranate

In thinking about rest for the earth, I focused metaphorically on a surface upon which our meal can rest. This Rosh Hashanah trivet would hopefully support a hot dish of plant-based stew, like traditional tzimmes. It celebrates both the “fruits of the earth” (and even honors those gifts) as well as the safety the earth can provide. This trivet protects the table and tablecloth, and sometimes one’s hands, from damage. Since the Torah instructs about exercising “care,” for our surroundings, bodies and the earth, I also interspersed flowery rimonim, to remind us of those crucial teachings. The design comes full circle, in a sense, since the rimonim used as finials the torah scroll comes from the Hebrew word for Pomegranate.While conveying rest and sustenance, another “surprise” idea is also embedded. The concept of personal safety, in prayer form, as one travels the journey of life is merged into some of the geometric units. A Hebrew prayer for traveler’s safety is transformed and patch-worked with Pop Art-inspired neon-recolored triangles of earthen textures. This prayer was found on a beautiful old-word example of a metal amulet at the Magnes Collection of Jewish Art at UC-Berkeley, California. I imagine a “new” prayer for safely resting – caring for our farmland – might complement serving a vegetarian food resting on this ceramic tile, housed in a simple wire-metal base which repeats the pomegranate shape. A place to rest hot food and house the travelers’ weary body … shmita in a sense.