בהעלותך |B’haalot’cha

Sarah Lightman, England

I used to pray frequently and I know many prayers by heart. But I don’t recite them anymore. In recent extraordinary moments in my life, I have thought about praying again, including the first ecstatic night of my son Harry’s life. But my prayer book remains closed. When my Grandma Gwen was dying, I didn’t pray for her, and in these drawings I re-enter this time through texts and images. My actions became my prayers, suggested by my drawing of the hospital as an open prayer book. 

Professional Background  Sarah Lightman is an artist, writer, and curator.  She studied at the Slade School of Art for her BA and MFA degrees. She is co-founder and co-director of Laydeez do Comics, and co-curator of the exhibit “Graphic Details: Confessional Comics by Jewish Women.” Lightman is also editor of the multi-award winning Graphic Details: Jewish Women's Confessional Comics in Essays and Interviews (McFarland, 2014).