Trees and vegetation did not yet grow because G-d“…had not brought rain upon the earth….” (Genesis 2:5). There was no one to recognize the benefit of rain. Adam, upon his creation, understood the need and prayed for rain. Prayer is universal.
Prayer emanates from one’s heart. One who prays draws closer to G-d and strengthens the understanding and reality of G-d. Prayer affects the spiritual, non-bound by time, which in turn affects the physical. The boundaries between the spiritual and the material would appear to be insurmountable, yet through prayer, spiritual doors open, and these boundaries are traversed. Darkness becomes light. That which was previously unfathomable becomes comprehendible. Prayer connects to The Source which is beyond our vision and actuality.
In the Tefilin Series, these doors may take the form of a square or a rectangle, containing light within light referencing the physical contained within the spiritual. It is the past contained within the present influencing the future; the observer experiences a changing passage of time, connecting to the artist’s interpretation of the calling out of actual motion and change through a window of the mind, heart and soul and its perspective of “viewing spirituality”.
Sanchez’s use of iridescent paint demonstrates the appearing and disappearing emanation of history. At times reality is comprehensible; at others, one searches for an understanding. The connection of what can and can not be seen in the immediate is the reference to the world’s ethereal beauty. This is G-d’s Creation. Freedom, in the mind of the artist is the ability to search beyond one’s self and to connect with and internalize that which is beyond.
Jewish prayer, as depicted in this series, opens doors. It connects to the past and the future; to the Holy Temple that was destroyed and to that for which we so long—the Rebuilding of the Holy Temple and the End of Days. The Midrash teaches us that there are ten different expressions of prayer. These ten names for prayer are parallel to the “ten depths of the heart”. As one delves deeper into one’s heart and soul, a deeper expression of prayer is achieved.
The central element of this series comprises ten unique paintings, each representing a level of prayer. The number ten is most significant. “The world was created through ten utterances... There were ten generations from Adam to Noah… and ten generations from Noah to Abraham… G-d brought ten plagues on the Egyptians... There were ten Miracles in the Holy Temple..." (from Pirkei Avot 5).
The viewer partakes in a mystical journey and explores what may or may not exist. Perhaps it can be seen in the current of changing light. Or perhaps an additional journey may be necessary.
Sanchez seeks to capture movement and change through light and it’s reflection on the canvas. This method, she explains, allows for a contemplation of spirituality and the unseen. She employs unique pigments and occasionally integrates metallic or chemical materials, enabling her paintings to exhibit kinetic-like effects as light interacts with their surfaces, particularly throughout different hours of the day.
Wassily Kandinsky, in his seminal essay “Concerning the Spiritual in Art,” argued that painting must reflect the spiritual manifestation of its time. Through this lens, Sanchez’s works can be read as modern prayers, reminding us of the inexorable power of the invisible and the constant quest for meaning and balance in a world perpetually unraveling and rebuilding itself.
Sanchez’s abstract paintings are emotive. The visual imagery serves as a portal to emotional and spiritual realms. Her work resonates with Kandinsky’s belief in art’s ability to convey feelings, internal echoes, and transcendent ideas, translating the language of the spirit into an experience that surpasses the visible. Kandinsky also highlighted the vital interplay between the artist and the viewer, an interaction that operates both sensually and intellectually.
The paintings in this series exude a meditative, abstract quality, inviting individual interpretation. Sanchez’s monochromatic palette, dominated by dramatic black, is punctuated with translucent geometric shapes—rectangles, squares, and strips—that glow with an ethereal light and are surrounded by halos. These geometric forms evoke windows or apertures, lingering over inner or perhaps external landscapes.
Sanchez masterfully creates varying degrees of translucency, shifting between blurred transitions and sharp edges on a black backdrop. This interplay of light and shadow can symbolize moments of revelation and concealment, inviting the viewer to look beyond the surface and sense the reflective and spiritual presence at the heart of her work. Deeply embedded in her process is an exploration of prayer and intimate internal dialogue.
Her compositions generate a rhythmic balance, oscillating between fragmented spaces and an orchestrated order in a world often perceived as unravelling. This dynamic emphasizes the contrast between chaos and structure.
Blue, which Kandinsky associated with depth and spirituality, plays a pivotal role in Sanchez’s paintings. She interweaves her blues with shades of gold, white, and black, amplifying an atmosphere of mystery and sanctity. In some pieces, a majestic blue feather appears, sprawling across the canvas with a sublime radiance, its softness contrasting the static geometric forms.
The series reflects an intriguing connection to the traditions of abstract art, drawing from both the spiritual European abstraction of Kandinsky and the pioneering American abstraction as seen in the works of Mark Rothko and Ellsworth Kelly. Rothko’s emotionally charged color fields find resonance in Sanchez’s works through her fusion of gradients and spatial interplay that evoke profound internal responses. Simultaneously, Kelly’s geometric precision and compositional clarity manifest in her deliberate use of geometric shapes arranged meticulously on the canvas.
Sanchez creates a delicate tension between distinct geometric elements and an elusive, ethereal background. This combination imparts an intellectual, measured yet vibrant quality to her art.
Her approach reflects a unique dialogue with the American abstract tradition while simultaneously infusing her work with an individuality that combines emotional intensity, spirituality, and formal precision. In her paintings, abstraction transcends from mere form or emotion, becoming a space that explores the connections between disparate worlds—the spiritual and the tangible, the personal and the collective, the American and the European. For Sanchez, these dualities embody the material within the spiritual—the present moment that contains the past and illuminates the future.
The Midrash teaches us that there are ten different expressions of prayer. As one delves deeper into one’s heart and soul, a deeper expression of prayer is achieved.
The most basic form of prayer is Shav’ah, a burning desire of Prayer. In the painting titled “A longing for G-d”, the artist creates a somewhat simplified composition depicting a rectangular window from which a spiritual light emanates. The light bursting forth may be the the light and spirit in one’s heart and mind (tefillin) or perhaps a window from the Beit Hamikdash from which the entire world received its spiritual light.
A longing for G-d, Prayer I (Shav’ah) , 2023 oil on canvas 140 x 110 cm (55 x 43 in. )
2023
The artist depicts the formation of feelings as we peek into our depths through the windows to see the evolution of thoughts and matter. A rolling hill, or perhaps a calming wave, sets the foundation. The Heavens, as represented by splashes of ultramarine, are attainable; Prayer reaches utmost heights . The future is bright.
From the depths of one’s heart, a wordless expression evolves. At times it may be difficult to express in words or thoughts one’s innermost feelings and desires, yet the emotions burst forth like a scream (Tze’aka).
Expression of an Internal Desire, Prayer II (Tze’aka) , 2023 oil on canvas 140 x 110 cm (55 x 43 in.)
2023 ,)הקעצ(
From a deeper level of one’s heart, evolves an even deeper expression. One cries out to G-d to answer our prayers (Ne’akah)
A wall (Wall of Jerusalem?), maybe a boundary or a passageway. An ultramarine splash--the internalizing of the spiritual--flows from the inner unknown searching for Truth. The Hidden Light shines through the window-like square illuminating the world with renewed hope.
A Deeper Level, Prayer III (Ne’akah) , 2023 oil on canvas 140 x 110 cm (55 x 43 in.)
2023
A Song of Praise raises one closer to G-d. No longer is there a boundary wall to traverse. A Sea of Abundance flows through windows of the heart as they open in a rhythmic melody. Joyful colors; peaceful splash of light or water. Revealing a small window of Heaven. Rina (a song of Praise) is a higher level of Praise to our Creator
A Song of Praise, Prayer IV (Rina) , 2023 oil on canvas
130 x 110 cm (51 x 43 in.)
2023
As one becomes uplifted, the appeared boundaries become less distinctive. The spiritual windows become larger. The world is higher. The Tree of Life is glowing.
Pegi’ah (entreating) represents a new level of prayer— requesting from G-d our needs.
A New Level, Prayer V (Pegi’ah) , 2023 oil on canvas
130 x 110 cm (51 x 43 in.)
2023
The world is not perfect. The deep connection to G-d is depicted by the larger windows and seemingly closer imagery. The distance between Heavens and Earth has diminished. No longer is one concerned.
Bitzur (calling out in distress), brings one closer to G-d. It represents the deep connection between the one who prays and G-d.
The Deep Connection, Prayer VI (Bitzur) , 2023 oil on canvas
100 x 80 cm (39 x 31 in.)
2023
A majestic blue quill, as if waiting to write Holy texts, anchors the painting. A building or tefillin or the Holy Temple strengthens one’s connection. Through the windows one can observe the perfectly beautiful world.
Keri’ah (calling to G-d), This connection approaches perfection through one’s calling to G-d.
Approaching Perfection, Prayer VII (Keri’ah) , 2023
oil on canvas
130 x 110 cm (51 x 43 in.)
2023
The majestic blue quill floats as if in search. Doors open. Through windows one observes the unobservable and incomprehensible.
Nipul (throwing oneself down). Upon reaching a level of prayer whereby one is optimally connected to G-d, we realize our own insignificance in relation to Our Creator.
Prayer VIII (Nipul) , 2023
Insignificance,
oil on canvas
140 x 110 cm (55 x 43 in.)
2023
The majestic blue quill has become elevated. A shofar, a symbol of Repentance and hope for the End of Days, begins to appear. Shabbat candles, or perhaps people praying become a central element. Thirteen rectangular windows, representing the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, offer a feeling of merit. Pilul (prayer), is yet a higher level whereby one feels the merit to rightfully request from G-d one’s needs.
Requesting One’s Needs, Prayer IX (Pilul) , 2023
oil on canvas
140 x 110 cm (55 x 43 in.)
2023
The Majestic Blue quill appears to fill the entire world in Space. Peering through the windows one discovers ultimate tranquility, prayer...ethereal perfection.
Tachanunim (supplication) is the highest objective whereby one requests from G-d one’s needs, yet realizes a total lack of merit, rather a gift from G-d through His Attributes of Mercy.
A Gift from G-d, Prayer X (Tachanunim) , 2023 oil on canvas 110 x 130 cm (43 x 51 in.)
2023 ,)םינונחת(
Standing within the gates of Jerusalem (Psalms 122:2) diptych , 2023 oil on canvas
50 x 100 cm (20 x 39 in)
The surreal within the poetic real Raquel Sanchez
I create within the levels of Nature—some real and some surreal. My work emits a sense, a feeling, a moment in time. It may be the moment capturing the momentum of landscape, of waterscape, or even the binding of the observer into a reliable frame of a moment. In the words of Picasso, “Ideas are simply starting points.” (from Brassaï “Conversations with Picasso”). My art captures spaces in spaces of time. It maintains a connection with archetypal moments and poetic renditions within and about landscapes. It is a “dance of moments” through the use of reflection and light. It is the previously seen and the not yet seen.
I begin with the canvas itself as spaces simultaneously relating to my inner space. I breathe, connect to a moment of time and so, this is where I break the canvas.” This is the first brush stroke.” Then there is light. I work to perfect the act of seeing and capturing light. Light is the glimmer within each moment that connects to the brokenness of space; shadows express the time within that moment.
I utilize color as well as reflection to emulate movement and time. As light affects Nature, so too the light with which I interact, renders and illustrates my unique process to provocate and hopefully instil inspiration. The painting, creating an almost spiritual feeling, utilizes light to achieve its seemingly kinetic effect. My art, by nature, is not making a particular statement rather it is a statement of the particular. Its message is of the inner self as it awakens, changing as this change occurs.
Yet the intuitive nature of my work at times transcends the kinetic. The art of intuitive nature is a process of painting whilst openly experiencing knowing without knowing... it is the present with all the permissions of the present to be the painter’s relationship with its development and its continuously developing conversation. The canvas speaks to, for and about the artist, and vice-versa, yet at times its subject matter may actuate distinctions. This relationship continues even once the brushes have been cleaned.
Intuition is an un-definable continuous comfort connected with the ambiguity we wear during moments of each day. We live this intuition undefined, with and without our active consciousness. It necessarily is connecting its subtle active process. It is this powerful drive that contains us within the un-containable. Intuitive painting is the amorphous and structureless finding of place.
When I was asked about the Intuitive Nature of my painting, I responded by speaking about capturing the surreal and placing it into the poetic real by allowing the canvas and paints to be particularly present in a dancing moment. I don’t create. I simply become part of creating.
2019 “See the voices” performance art with Kobi Arad and Daniel Zamir
2018 Group exhibition, "Viewpoint", Fresh Paint, Tel Aviv
2017 Group exhibition, "Recent works", Rosenbach Contemporary
2017 Group Exhibition, "Art in Embassy", US Ambassador's Residence, Israel
2015 Group exhibition, American Visions Gallery, NY
2015 “Tu b’shvat: Trees in the Bible”, curator: Dr. Joseph R. Hoffman
2014 Solo exhibition, Nachlaot, Jerusalem
2013 Solo exhibition: 15 paintings, Emeq Refaim, Jerusalem
2011 Group exhibition, American Visions Gallery, NY
Awards and scholarships:
1994 Member Israel Association of Writers in English
2013 Ministry of Culture residency
2014 Member International Artists’ Union
2015 Member Israeli Professional Visual Artists Association
Publications (poetry)
Spring 2002 Café Poetry, Arc 16, The Journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English Winter 2002 The International Library of Poetry, The Sound of Poetry (CD edition) Adar 5761 The Journal of the Jerusalem Poetry Slam, No.1
Summer 2001 Kid Pistol, Arc15, The Journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English Spring, 2000 The Journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English – Arc 14 Summer,1999 Expatriates & Ex-Patriots, The Journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English
1999 Voices Israel, Poetry from Israel and abroad, vol.26
1997/1998 Voices Israel, Poetry from Israel and abroad, vol.25
February 1999 English Poetry from Israel, Israel Association of Writers in English
Summer 1996 The Journal of the Israel Association of Writers in English - Arc 11
Collections:
Ambassador David Friedman Family Collection, USA
Assorted private collections in USA, Israel and Europe
10 King David St., Jerusalem www.rosenbach.co.il uri@rosenbach.co.il tel +972-507-516091 +1-914-336-4135
