Jewish artist Diane Palley to present and lead workshop at Elon – April 24

Acclaimed artist Diane Palley will be presenting her work in the McBride Gathering space of Elon’s Numen Lumen Pavilion at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 24.

Palley has created hundreds of original papercut images; illustrated books, posters and CD covers; designed arks, panels, and banners for architectural projects; and she has displayed her work in more than 50 national exhibitions. She is best known in North Carolina as the artist responsible for the two silk-screened/etched panels for the new Goodson Chapel at the Duke Divinity School in Durham.  She recently completed a papercut commissioned by Edenton Street United Methodist Church in Raleigh on the theme of “Light and Shadow: Seeing Ourselves in Text and Image.”

At Elon, Palley will present that new papercut, discuss how papercutting has been a part of her artistic and spiritual path, and also offer an illustrated, historical overview of papercutting as a traditional Jewish art form.  She will explore how Jewish art, including her own art, can function as midrash—the creative interpretation of traditional text.

Palley’s presentation is sponsored by Elon’s Department of Art and Art History, Department of Religious Studies, and Lori and Eric Sklut Emerging Scholar in Jewish Studies Program.

Following Palley’s presentation, at 6:45, Elon Hillel will be hosting a hands-on workshop in which participants will be able to compl ete a small papercut under Palley’s guidance.  A light dinner will be provided as well.  Those wishing to attend the workshop and dinner should RSVP here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VSSZSXZ.