Splash of Color

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ART

Splash of Color

Israeli artist Yoram Gal comes to Arts, Beats & Eats.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

New brightly colored paintings by Israeli artist Yoram Gal come to Michigan this year as part of Arts, Beats & Eats, the festival returning Friday-Monday, Sept. 3-6, in downtown Royal Oak.

Gal, who has shown his work in various summer festivals and private gatherings around the state over many years, will be among the diverse attractions that include 200 musical acts, exercise sessions, children’s activities that offer a daily songwriting workshop and food vendors cooking up various cuisines.

“My work evolves all the time,” said Gal, near 70, who has painted in watercolors since age 12 and included Israeli settings and landscapes among his projects. “I would be bored and stagnating if I kept repeating.

“During the pandemic, I had more time and so painted and tried new ideas, new techniques, all visceral, from the gut, mixed with life experiences and world events.”

Gal, who also has appeared in acting roles for feature films, paints large and maintained his interest in fine arts while taking on performing arts. He has been recognized with some 50 awards for his images.

“The pandemic and the elections in the U.S. and Israel influenced my life strongly as did personal events and developments,” he said. “Since January, sales have been great, rewarding me for the lost year or so.”

To get a complete Arts, Beats & Eats schedule, go to artsbeatseats.com. $5 admission before 3 p.m.; $10 after 3 p.m.

YORAM GAL