Israel Through a Different Lens An Art Exhibit of the Work of Miriam Stern Miriam Stern, a member of the Jewish Art Salon, will have a solo exhibit at Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel in New Haven from June 1, 2014 to August 29, 2014. A painter, printmaker, and installation artist, Stern often creates thematic series that express Jewish values and ideas. The artwork in this exhibit was inspired by photographs Stern has taken on her travels far and near, in Israel, China, and the Berkshires. These pieces demonstrate the artist's process of developing a body of work in various media, including unique prints, oil paintings, and collages. She begins the process by using the computer to manipulate elements in the photos and transform them. These new images become the basis for "unique prints" that combine digital and traditional printmaking methods. The oil paintings, derived from the prints, become more abstract expressions. As the photographic image used in the print is further removed from its source, it becomes less recognizable. Stern states that the process of starting with a photograph of a real object or place and changing it until it becomes something else fascinates and challenges her and that by working in a series format she is able to produce a body of work that includes paintings, prints, and collages. Stern has exhibited in both the United States and Israel, and has won numerous awards and prizes. Recently she has had one-woman shows at Johnson & Johnson Headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and the Watchung Arts Center in Watchung, New Jersey. Her art has been reproduced in magazines and books of poetry. In addition to producing art, she has curated several art exhibitions and also lectures about Art as Midrash.