Workshops, Retreats, & Artist-In-Residence Programs

Bring the art of micrography, calligraphy, and more to your community!

Rae regularly leads workshops, classes, retreats, & Artist-in-Residence programs, both locally in Southern California and throughout the U.S., to bring her unique take on art and Jewish learning for participants of all ages. Scheduling her to work with your synagogue, school, or organization is as easy as sending her a message with a request! 

 All workshops are designed to incorporate an exploration of enduring Jewish understandings in addition to instruction in artistic technique(s); most (but not all) workshops can be modified for secular and interfaith groups as well. Rae completed her MA in Jewish Education at HUC-JIR in Los Angeles in 2014, where her research focused on exploring Jewish cultural literacy and values through art education. Bringing that research to life for new communities around California and the rest of the U.S. is her favorite part of her work as an art educator!

Local Workshop Rates:
$300 up to 90 minutes
$150 per additional hour 
+ supplies (varies by workshop type)
+ travel expenses if >15 miles from Culver City, CA (at the federal gas mileage rate at the time of travel)

Zoom Workshop Rates:
$250 up to 90 minutes
$120 per additional hour 
Includes a PDF for participants to print out that can be customized for your goals, community norms, traditions regarding God-language, & more. Most workshops can also be adapted for those who are unable to print the PDF!
Nationwide Retreats & Artist-in-Residence Programs:

Rates vary by length of the program & extent of planning required. 
Single Day or Shabbaton: $500-1500
Weekend (Fri-Sun): $1500-$5000
Full Week (Day Schools, Summer Camps): $2500-$8000
+ travel expenses

 Send Rae a message for a more refined estimate!

 

Micrography Workshops

Micrography Workshops

 As one of the only art forms invented by Jews, micrography can be a natural fit to incorporate into a Jewish classroom, retreat, or program. Rae has a seven-step process that can be adapted to a wide variety of age ranges and project scope. Micrography is a fantastic way to reinforce Hebrew writing skills and to explore the connection between the words and the meaning ot various texts, such as prayers, Torah portions, or even individual vocabulary words. The final product can be complex enough to work on throughout a school year or a simple calligram using a single word that can be finished in as little as 30 minutes. Rae can even tailor the exact contents and framing of the workshop to the program or curriculum around it if you provide her with the information! 

Some examples of micrography workshops Rae has run in the past:

  • Meditative Micrography Amulets for 2nd grade through adult
  • Ten Plagues Micrography for 3rd-9th grades
  • Sh'ma Micrography for a family Spirituality Retreat
  • Prayer Micrography for incorporation into a year-long 6th grade art siddur project
  • Name Calligrams for 2nd-4th grades
Calligraphy Workshops by RaeAn Designs

Calligraphy Workshops (Hebrew or English)

Everyday reading and writing typically approaches language a word at a time. Calligraphy, however, entails a consideration of not only every letter, but every line and curve that forms each letter. Learning basic calligraphy can reinforce early Hebrew decoding skills in children and adults alike, as well as deepen the possibilities for exploring Jewish tradition for advanced learners. By breaking letters down to their physical components, we can also discuss the cultural, historical, and mystical aspects of the letters. Calligraphy can even be a fun activity to create invitations as welcome relief from the otherwise hectic B'nai Mitzvah preparation process!

Ritual Object Workshops by RaeAn DesignsRitual Object Workshops

Rae has a unique approach to creating meaningful ritual objects in pursuit of the ideal of hiddur mitzvah, beautifying the commandment. When we observe the commandments with beauty, tradition holds, we glorify God who in turn smiles on the People of Israel. A wide variety of educational goals can be accomplished through a ritual object workshop which can be tailored to fit the program around it. 

Sample project possibilities:

  • Candlesticks (glass or clay)
  • Kiddush Cups (glass or clay)
  • Challah Plates (plastic, glass, or ceramic)
  • Mezuzot (glass, clay, or wire-wrapped)

    • With or without Klaf/Scroll
  • Seder plates for Passover or Tu BiSh'vat (glass or ceramic)
  • Yad for Torah-reading (clay or wire-wrapped)
  • Tallit
  • Siddur cover
  • And plenty more!

 Supplies generally run $3-15/participant; it varies by project, but I have wholesale sources to keep costs as low as possible.

Retreats & Artist-in-Residence Programs

Retreats & Artist-in-Residence Programs

 Rae is able to provide a wide variety of support for school, synagogue, or organizational retreats and conventions, as an Artist-in-Residence and beyond. The cost of various programming packages will vary widely, depending how much I'm creating/planning on my own vs. executing your plans.

Artist-in-Residence packages can include (but, after 10+ years of working to plan and run retreats and other events, are certainly not limited to):

  • Guest D'rash
    • Topic options: history and evolution of micrography; artistic spiritual history of the ketubah; parashat hashavua through micrography; the role of word-art in Jewish spiritual exploration; & more!
  • Art-Based Worship Experiences
    • Option A: Interactive (for communities that write on Shabbat, or for weekday t'fillah) - participants work on their own micrography meditations on a selection of prayers as we go through the service
    • Option B: Demonstration (for communities that at least don't mind me writing on Shabbat) - I'll create a custom micrography piece throughout the service especially for your community, which you can project as I work. You'll get to keep the final piece and community members can order prints at a discount!
    • Option C: Visual T'fillah - I incorporate art I've already created into your service, either as Visual T'fillah slides (for communities that use electricity on Shabbat) or as a custom printed siddur/service booklet (for communities that don't use electricity on Shabbat). 
    • Option D: Let's create a new micrography-based worship experience together!
  • Torah/Text Studies
  • Meditation & Mindfulness Workshops
  • Programs for children, teens, and/or adults
  • Marketing Material Design
  • & more!

 Fees vary by project & preparation work required: request an estimate!