P2G Visiting Artists Weekend

Our Fort Worth & Tarrant County community enjoyed a unique opportunity to work with two Israeli modern artists this month. Batya Gil (experimental glass artist) and Koby Sibony (wire designer/maker) from Israel’s Western Galilee visited from February 24-26 as part of the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County’s Partnership2Gether program.

Partnership2Gether is a joint program of the Jewish Agency and the Jewish Federation serving as the central platform for the promotion, empowerment, and development of deep connections between our community members and our friends in the Western Galilee. This hands-on creative weekend was an exciting opportunity to meet these talented artists, create with them and learn about their lives. 

On Friday February 24, local Fort Worth artist Tatara Siegel lead community members in a large-scale public art project in collaboration with Fort Worth’s SiNaCa Studios. Tatara Siegel created the design and community members were invited to participate or just observe as the art was created in real time. 

In homage to the neighborhood, the project created was a magnolia flower and stem that wraps around a 16ft steel pole in front of SiNaCa. People were drilling holes in glass, weaving wire, and weaving glass and wire together and the results are amazing. Be sure to drive by to see the finished artwork in person. 

On Saturday February, 25 the visiting Israeli artists Batya Gil Margalit and Koby Sibony got a taste of Cowtown with a tour of the Stockyards and a private tour of the Fort Worth Modern Art Museum with docent Gail Granek. That evening the two presented their work to a crowd of 50 people at the Rebecca Low Sculptural Metal Gallery & Studio. Batya and Koby focused their discussion on working in the periphery of Israeli art and creating in the space between art and design, all in attendance were inspired.

Sunday February 25th, Gil and Sibony concluded their Tarrant County tour with creative hands-on workshops at Beth-El Congregation. Gil shared her talents in glass fusion with 50 participants while Sibony taught 75 students during three workshops the basics of metal bending and creative freestyle two- and three-dimensional sculptures. 

In Koby's words, not only did our community benefit from the visit, but the artists did too, "We received a warm welcome from the people of the Jewish community of Fort Worth. They embraced us with love in their studios, synagogues and homes. Thank you for everything."