South Florida-based artist Rosemary Fineberg’s solo exhibition, Even Darkness Has Light – The Merging of the Two, just finished its run from Aug. 10 to Sept. 24 at the Marta-Beth Friedman Stirling Road Branch Library. But its impact will be felt by its viewers for long after the show’s closure. The exhibition, presented by Broward County Libraries and Broward Cultural Division, served as both a love letter to Israel and the time Fineberg has spent here throughout her life, as well as a reminder of the importance of knowing that even in times of darkness, light will prevail.
The artist’s ardor for processing these kinds of complicated emotions through art is one that began long before she created this latest body of work. “I grew up in New Jersey during the Cuban Missile Crisis, so I was exposed to a lot of darkness that can happen in the world at a young age,” she says.
“I started having recurring nightmares because I was terrified at the possibility of being separated from my family. But making art was part of my daily routine. Using my abilities of drawing, painting, and sewing to make what I needed was something that I always found comfort in.”
Then in 1973, Fineberg and her family were forced to confront that fear head-on while they were in Israel during the Yom Kippur War. But even after witnessing such a horrific event firsthand, Israel has become a comforting place for her to return to as an adult.
“Today, Israel has become my place of comfort that I try to visit as often as I can. It’s also something that I reflect on a lot in my art because it allows me to merge my past with my present. Now the darkness I’ve witnessed has become a creative endeavor, and in it I find the light,” says Fineberg.
Her passion for using art as an emotional outlet extended into her work as an arts educator working with children and people with mental disabilities.
Before becoming a full-time artist, she worked as an art teacher in Miami-Dade, teaching children in kindergarten through 12th grade as well as special needs students. But it was her time working at the South Florida State Psychiatric Hospital that was transformative.
“I always had an interest in working with and teaching special education students. So, when I had an opportunity to work as an art therapist at the psychiatric hospital, it felt like a good fit,” she says. “What I didn’t expect was for my students at the hospital to take the art classes so to heart. Many of them even won awards for their art and had some of their pieces published.”
Now retired from teaching, she has more time to focus on her own artwork.
Fineberg’s most recent exhibition featured numerous pieces done in her preferred medium, painting and mixed media, and delved into the themes she has showcased in all her work – the interplay of light and dark. “In this collection of paintings, I tried to illustrate how darkness and light often merge, especially in my nightscapes. Working on these night landscapes reminded me of that fear of separation and aloneness I had as a child. So, working on this series of paintings finally gave me the opportunity I needed to deal with this feeling head-on,” says Fineberg.
Another motif found in some of her newer pieces is the crow. During some of her more recent visits to Israel, the artist became fascinated with the crows she saw all over the city. There was something about their drab appearance yet extremely intelligent nature that made her want to learn more about these often-overlooked creatures, she said.
“I wanted to include the crows in this exhibit after I noticed them on some of my last trips to Israel. They were absolutely everywhere, and it seemed that not many people took notice of them. They weren’t particularly beautiful, but I was curious about them. So, I read up on them when I came home, and I was surprised to learn not only how intelligent they are but also how they are a symbol for change, transformation, and new beginnings,” she says.
With that, several pieces in Fineberg’s exhibition showcased the hooded crow. Her three-dimensional Hooded Crow on Olive Branch, made using repurposed materials such as plastic bags, wire, and pipe cleaners is one that she hopes leaves a lasting impression on viewers.
“The hooded crow with the white on his chest was the one I kept seeing the most while I was in Israel. It felt like I was meant to see him and learn about the symbolism of crows and apply that to the way I live my life. I’ve learned from the hooded crow that I need to embrace the changes taking place in the world, and like the crow, we all share more light than darkness than we realize,” says Fineberg.
In fact, one of her pieces featured in the exhibition is now a three-time award-winning creation for the artist. Her painting, October 9th, recently won an award for the Florida Art Education Association Convention, and Fineberg will be in virtual attendance at the Dali Museum in St. Pete on Oct. 17 to accept the award.
