Jewish Small Communities Network

Remarkable drawings in a ‘new’ form by the veteran artist Hannah Frank have been discovered just before her centenary exhibition opens on her 100th birthday – 23 August.

Visitors to the ‘Hannah Frank, A Glasgow Artist 100th Birthday Exhibition’ now have a chance to see this significant new discovery of 17 Hannah Frank original works in a medium that we do not normally associate with this artist. Fiona Frank, the artist’s niece and champion, made the find during a last minute rummage in a suitcase held in the loft of the care home where Hannah Frank now lives.

“We’ve discovered many of Hannah’s artworks in this suitcase over the last five years. I’d noticed some pieces of sugar paper there but assumed they were packing materials.  Then something made me take a closer look. To my amazement I found, inside each piece of folded sugar paper, 17 coloured drawings of various figures done in pastel. We think she did them during life classes at the Glasgow School of Art where my Aunt studied for many years.”

Here she used vibrant colour - bright red, an electric blue - and they are less linear and more three dimensional than her  distinctive ‘trademark’ black and white works, yet there is still a haunting melancholy about these figures which is associated with those works.

Artist Ann Marie Foster, who has run Hannah Frank art workshops, said: “What a find! Hannah captures an essence with such economy of line. They are evidence of her drawing skill and technical facility and demonstrate the draftsman/womanship underpinning the black and white line drawings.”

Fiona added: “These drawings are a remarkable, integral part of the history of Hannah Frank’s journey as an artist. We urge people to come along to the exhibition, to celebrate the wonderful art Hannah produced over a 75 year career and to appreciate the vibrancy and vitality in these newly discovered life drawings.”

WOMAN’S HOUR - Tuesday 19th August
An interview with Hannah Frank, previously heard on Radio Scotland, will be featured.
If you’ve missed it try the BBC iPlayer

UPDATE: Sadly we have to report that Hannah Frank passed away peacefully, aged 100, on 18 December 2008. Thanks to the efforts of her niece, Fiona, her work is now widely known and exhibited and has forever left her footprints in the sand.

Having problems getting someone to lead your Shabbat or Yom Tov services?  Tephilharmonic could help.

Arising from discussions at the 1st European Cantors’ Convention organised by the JMI in 2006, a nucleus of practitioners and enthusiasts have set up Tephilharmonic with the aim of preserving and developing traditional synagogue music in UK orthodox communities.

Tephilharmonic hopes to achieve this by:

• Encouraging and enabling synagogue services led by knowledgeable Chazanim who will make traditional Shul music accessible and enjoyable
• Providing support and musical resources for Chazanim and choirs
• Training lay Chazanim in traditional Nusach and encouraging the participation of younger Shul-goers.
• Forming a network of people who are interested in cantorial music (chazanut) and who will actively support it in their communities
• Educating and involving community members to appreciate traditional synagogue music

Tephilharmonic was formed by:

• Cantors Moshe Haschel, Avromi Freilich, and Gedalya Alexander, and
• Jonathan Weissbart and Hirsh Cashdan.

Principal patron of Tephilharmonic is the Chief Rabbi, Sir Jonathan Sacks.

link: http://www.tephilharmonic.org.uk/

We think you’ll enjoy this recital of the daily Mincha repetition by Cantor Avishai Shmuel Levin, who serves as a Chazzan for the Jewish community of Munich.