JLive is our series of virtual cultural experiences. Meet some of the best Boston area talent, telling their Jewish story through art.

Rachel Hammerman is a visual artist who is “on a forever mission to capture the intricacies which give us pause and presence; the things that hold us immediately  in a smile, and those which echo something deeper within.” She studied studio art and religion at Mount Holyoke College, and completed a year course in painting and drawing at The Slade School of Art at The University College of London.  She is greatly influenced by old master drawings, long-winded rants, and by the drive to arrest a thousand moments and call them only one. Rachel also hosts an annual open studio as part of Roslindale Open Studios, where anyone can come visit her mezuzot, drawings, and sculptures.

Rachel Hammerman’s collection of mezuzot in her Etsy shop caught the eye of Laura Mandel, JArts executive director, who became a loyal customer. Since then, Hammerman has designed mezuzot that range from the whimsical to the symbolic. To celebrate Purim in 2022, Mandel asked Hammerman to use her prodigious gifts as a clay artist to tell the story of Megillat Esther. The result was Hammerman’s rendition of the Purim story over 12 panels, measuring 5×7 inches and exclusively made of clay. According to Rachel, each of the panels she created represents a theme connected to the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther. The themes often integrate interpretations Hammerman has gleaned from midrashim and her close study of the text.

Watch Rachel’s JLive from March 4th, 2022

Visit the JArts Society6 store to shop all of Rachel’s Purim-themed artwork, printed on a wide range of products!

About The Artist