Alone | Gush Etzion Heritage Center Museum

I took pictures of this vignette at the Gush Etzion Heritage Center Museum at כפר עציון, Kfar Ezion on June 23rd, 2019 on a visit to Israel with my Mother. The young woman unknowingly modeling for me is my niece Jenna. It was always my intention to paint this image and give it as a thank you for the wonderful trip!

The Heritage Center Museum details the heroic six-month battle fought against invading Arab armies while under blockade during Israel’s War of Independence. Nearly 250 people were killed in the final assault on Gush Etzion and hundreds more were taken as POWs just one day before David Ben Gurion declared Israel’s independence. Nineteen years later, after the Six Day War, the Bnei Etzion(the children of those who fought and died) returned to reestablish their community and created a memorial in the very spot where their parents hid during the final attack.

I started my first attempt about three months ago and failed miserably. I took a a break, grabbed a much bigger sheet of watercolor paper and got back on the Camel!