PERSONALITY  PORTRAITS
The Rebbe  - Elie Wiesel - Estee Lauder - Dr.Benny  
and many more coming soon...


 Although Edel has professionally  photographed such celebrities as H.M.the Queen, Rajiv Ghandi, Mr.Brian Mulroney ,the Bronfmans ,Elie Wiesel and Mr.and Mrs.Jimmy Pattison,Edel was always hesitant to paint traditional portraits for fear of not capturing an exact likeness especially as anyone today can take a cell phone portrait ...HOWEVER ... 
About 25 years ago Mr.Morris Wosk obm. suggested that Edel  not just photograph people but rather paint them and incorporate their life stories." 

We all have life stories, may they all be good, or if G-d forbid seem to be bad ,have a silver lining .Many times we suffer just because of man's inhumanity to man,yet if people can ruin,then people can rebuild ,"says Edel . 
When viewing an Edel painting one immediately is elevated by his esoteric, humorous and optimistic visions.
Although Edel paints acceptable likenesses his portraits  primarily succeed by capturing and elevating a subject's  personality and joyous essence of character without falling into cartoon or caricature.

Edel's  paintings include such celebrities as Roberto Alagna,The Three Tenors and Estee Lauder.They shine with happiness while incorporating subliminal human interest stories that inspire his audience to commission not only portraits but also his more traditional ,spiritual ,impressionistic, and floral artwork . 
In the words of Grace McCarthy who once compered an Edel exhibit , "If you like it ,buy it and  take a painting home with you today!" 

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"The Lightguard"
A portrait of the Shamash ,guardian of the memorial lights in the Algerian Synagogue Paris .
I just completed this painting from a sketch I did on location a few years ago .

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DR.BENNY's PORTRAIT

Dear Friends ,
 Thanks to everyone for appreciating Dr. Benny's painting . 
Everyone loved the painting recently featured at Lubavitch B.C.'s Gold Plate Dinner which honored Dr. Benny for his contribution to society & community~
May  joy and light increase for all for many years to come ! 
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Around 1965 Edel  served an apprenticeship in  management ,art design and styling with Steiner's beauty salons in England. 
The company was accredited with a Royal Warrant  by HM  Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

ESTEE LAUDER

Steiner's clientele were always enormously invigorated by Estee Lauder's beauty  facials ,cosmetics and her personal elegant coiffures which often graced the pages of Vogue magazine.
Everyone desired the Estee Lauder look and so for publicity I was commissioned to sketch a huge charcoal wall mural depicting Estee Lauder's gracious hairstyle  mirrored by the similar movement of two curvaceous swans.
 Around 1965 I vaguely remember Estee Lauder in person coming to open a facial salon.That seems like a dream from a previous lifetime  almost 50 years ago !
In trying to refresh my memory I recently painted this portrait of Esther Lauder as I remember her .
I completed the pastel and gouache sketch on Sept. 11 2013 .

 The "Hoshanah Rebbe"

I recently completed my oil painting  "The Hoshanah Rebbe " as a memory of meeting The Lubavitcher Rebbe  on Hoshana Rabboh in 1973 ,exactly 40 years ago   .
While journeying to  Israel as a volunteer for  The Yom Kippur war , a  doctor at JFK airport  delayed me from travelling as he discovered I had a potentially dangerous  inflamed lymph node in my neck .   
That same doctor then introduced me to the Rebbe at 770 after the Sukkot  Hoshana Rabboh services and asked the Rebbe if I could continue my journey .
The Rebbe turned to me and said that I should continue on to Israel  and gave me a blessing that everything  would turn out well .  Thank G-d the war was quickly over and I went on to sing at the Israel National Opera  where I met my wife.
That was exactly 40 years ago and so as a memory of that miraculous  Hoshanah Rabboh I painted  " The Hoshanah Rebbe"  

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