New Artists Contest to Express Chassidus in Full Color

Ahead of Pesach, the new Chassidus in Color art competition’s two tiers are offering cash prizes to creative professionals and budding young artists who express Chassidus’s ideas in original works of art—with submissions due by 15 Adar II, March 25, 2024.

Hosted in partnership with Rabbi Simon Jacobson’s Chassidus Applied and exclusively on COLlive.com, the Chassidus in Color contest was conceived by the team at Evocative Jewish Art, a newly formed organization dedicated to promoting the artistic expression of timeless Jewish ideas. “We typically see Chassidus’s ideas conveyed through words,” says director Rabbi Menachem Meltzer, “this contest challenges artists to connect to a concept and capture it in a work of art.”

With dozens of aspiring artists of all ages already hard at work on their submissions, Chassidus in Color has assembled a dedicated panel of judges to review their work. The panel includes renowned artists Michoel Muchnik and Estee Klein of EsteeFineArts, alongside prominent mashpia Rabbi Yossi Paltiel, Rabbi Mendel Wolf of Brush Hour, and JLI’s Art Director Mush Kanner.

Submissions will be graded on technique, originality, and the clarity with which it expresses a Chassidic idea associated with Pesach, and Sefiras HaOmer. The contest seeks to award cash prizes to the top three finalists in two categories: hobbyist and professional.

For participants like Tzemach Cunin, the Chassidus in Color carries the challenge of capturing a flash of inspiration and expressing its vibrancy in a painting or piece of digital art. “Artists always try to create something new and original,” he says. “But the best art also captures something already there and presents it in a new light—here we’re connecting to an idea in Chassidus and using our art to share that connection with others.”

The Chassidus in Color contest draws inspiration from the Rebbe’s view of artistic talent as a worthy means of sharing the beauty of Torah and Mitzvos. The Rebbe’s approach, articulated in countless letters and Sichos, is encapsulated by the message of one letter: “It is the duty of the Jew to recognize that his creativity and special talents were bestowed upon him by G-d. Whether or not he harmonizes such talents with the Torah depends upon the artist himself.”

A publication featuring select submitted works of art will iy”h be published in time for Pesach.

A special thank goes to Yaacov Brooks and Rabbi Bentzion Pearson for helping to make this beautiful contest come together.

Due to a number of artists being involved, private art lessons between professional artists and up and coming artists have already been arranged through Evocative Jewish Art. If Artists planning on submitting works would like to either give or receive lessons feel free to contact us for more information.

Please Visit https://www.chassidusapplied.com/chassidusincolorFor inquiries, questions, or comments, please text 203-687-6436 or email Chassidusincolor@gmail.com.

Prizes:
Professional Tier
First place: $1500 and EZRI Designer Bag ($600 value)
Second place: $1000 and EZRI Designer Bag ($600 value)
Third place: $500 and EZRI Designer Bag ($600 value)

Hobbyist Tier
First place: $770
Second place: $470
Third place: $260

Contest Requirements:
This contest is for two-dimensional work. Some suggested media include charcoal, acrylic, graphite, pastel, paint, watercolor, & digital etc. AI art is not allowed.
All work must be original.
The message from your piece must be self evident. The accompanying paragraph is primarily for helping the judges.
Videos and sculptures are not included in this edition of Chassidus in Color
The piece must portray a specific point from the teachings of Chassidus on the topics of Pesach (including Sefiras Hamomer). A list of ideas from Chassidus will be published in the next few days.
Pieces must be submitted online only, the portal will be hosted on ChassidusApplied.com and announced in due course.
The file size is limited to 100 Mb.
The Professional Tier is for artists with more than a year of experience in their specific art form.
The Hobbyist Tier is for anyone who doesn’t fit that criteria. If the judges feel anyone has applied to the wrong tier, they will contact the artist to clarify.
The idea may be from any of the Chabad Rabbeim, or the Baal Shemtov. There are plenty of ideas to be found in sources such as Hayom Yom, Sichos and Maamorim. Participants are encouraged to be creative in finding sources, using books such as the Gutnick Chumash and The Rebbe’s Haggadah in English.
Each submission must be accompanied by a short explanation of the Chassidus idea it portrays, in 5 – 10 sentences including the source. The more concise, the better. This should be a separate document, not on the piece itself.
Pieces will be judged on 3 criteria:
Technique: Such as form, color theory, use of material etc.
Originality: Does the piece bring something new to the table.
Clarity: How well is the Chassidic message from your write-up being communicated in the art piece itself.
The deadline for all art pieces is March 25th at 11:59 pm EST, Shushan Purim.
Evocative Jewish Art has the right to reproduce and publish all submitted works for publicity purposes.
Optional: Please send in a short time-lapse with your art piece.

Please Submit Here: https://www.chassidusapplied.com/chassidusincolor