I'm Neta

Clay is soil, taking a lump of clay and creating life is like giving birth or a way to tell a story. Look inside, ask questions and find curiosity. The clay takes shape with facial expressions and movement, sitting, standing, lifting a leg, getting dressed – the figure takes shape with memories and fantasies.

My first meeting with the clay was accidental but fateful. I studied early childhood teaching at Beit Berel College and happily arrived with the Nahal group at Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. I worked as a kindergarten teacher and when I was free I was asked to go work in the mango orchard. But trouble, I am allergic to resin, so I found myself helping the artist Idit Adi in making glazes to paint her sculptures Without knowing or understanding anything, I learned how to weigh powders and produce colorants that give color and texture coatings to ceramics.

I married Kobi, and we moved to Moshav Ugda in Yamit area a, in the Sinai Peninsula. We built our house and four of my five children were born. In Sinai I also experienced working with the material and since then we have been in a long romance, love at first contact. My children grew up and learned to crawl and behave in a house full of statues.

After the evacuation from Sinai and the move to the Moshav Ein Hashur in the Western Negev, I realized that I wanted to study properly. My partner Kobi helped me with the decision, and I went through vocational training to teach art and specialize in ceramic sculpture at the “Visual Art Center”. I felt that the world of sculpture is the place where I can develop and it is a great means of expression for me.

Later I studied at Sapir College for many years with the artist Sarka Farahia, who introduced me to different ways of working and approaches in sculpture through exposure to many artists. At the same time I taught art in the schools of different ages with great pleasure until I retired.

When I retired I set up an active studio in my home. I sculpt, teach and raise a new generation of young artists. Where people meet, they violate each other. Pablo Picasso said “art washes the soul from the daily struggle”.

I sculpted with the artist Moshe Saidi, with whom I studied wall sculpting, and while working in his studio, I underwent therapy during a difficult time in my life, when my partner of over 40 years, Kobi, passed away. Moshe pushed me and supported me at that time together with my friends at the studio, and only when I finished the family statue, which stands on Kobi’s grave, I finally felt that I was free for new things.

I started sculpting with the artist Dina Babai and she instilled in me great faith in myself. The change opened up new worlds for me. I was exposed to different sculpting materials.

Today I sculpt in clay and feel whether the sculpture deserves to be made of bronze, marble or polyester. My works are displayed in my house, in the yard and in various exhibitions throughout the country.