This article appeared in the Dec. 18, 2003 Jewish Advocate.

Heit’s spirited works of clay

By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

Beth Heit takes a truly hands-on approach to exploring life’s mysteries and meanings. For over twenty years, she has molded clay into objects of form and also function, in a journey of both aesthetic beauty and spiritual discovery. At her Hamsa Pottery Gallery in Newton, she not only creates and sells, but also teaches. Pottery, wall reliefs and tiles are discussed at the space as well as Judaic studies, and the connections between the two spheres.

“As an artist, I am always redefining my ways of looking and creating, constantly searching for new and interesting forms and glazes,” she explains. “In addition, I have continued to pursue my love of functional pottery and ritual Judaica. I derive deep satisfaction from making useful aesthetic objects that enrich the lives of those who use them.” This Sunday and Monday, Heit, who holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Hofstra University, will hold an Open House at her gallery.

Heit has taken workshops at Peter’s Valley, the 92nd Street Y, Bennington College and Harvard University; her work has been shown national galleries which include the Museum Store at the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln and the Panache Gallery in Mendocino, California. In 2002, she was a featured artist in “Craft Report” magazine. Her effort remains a constant process of refinement. “The exploration of clay as a medium for creating art that can be displayed on the wall is an ongoing endeavor, as I continue to experiment with texture and color,” she said.

Though Heit’s pieces are intrinsically reflective of Judaic texts and ritual, her own formal Jewish education was not extensive. “I grew up on Long Island in New York where I led a typical suburban unobservant Jewish life,” she recalled. Her parents, though affiliated with a Conservative synagogue, seldom attended services apart from during the High Holidays. Heit attended Hebrew School, but never celebrated her Bat Mitzvah.

Following graduation, however, Heit spent the summer living with religious relatives in Israel. “This experience had an enormous impact on me and led me to learn more about Judaism and living a more observant Jewish life,” she said. She began reading Judaic books and taking Jewish studies classes in college. During her senior year, she met Andrew Warmflash, a rabbinical student who would later become her husband, and is now Rabbi at Temple Emanuel in Newton. “He introduced me to a more spiritual way of being Jewish,” she said.

After graduating from college, Heit spent a year living with her grandparents in Jerusalem while studying in an Ulpan, where she learned basic Hebrew. “I loved being in Israel, studying the language and culture,” she said. “My grandparents, of blessed memory, taught me how to keep kosher and observe Shabbat. They inspired me to continue learning and to make a commitment to living a seriously observant lifestyle.”

Heit has continued to study and read Judaic texts. She is nearly finished with a reading, in Hebrew, of the book of Genesis, with all of Rashi’s commentaries. “While this is a significant undertaking for someone with little formal Jewish education, I have found it deeply enriching,” she notes.

“I feel blessed to spend so much of my time directly engaged with earth, air, water and fire, the basic elements that make up our world,” she observes. “Clay has been a way of life for me, a devotion, a path for getting in touch with what is most essential. I take pleasure from sharing these blessings with the people who visit me at my studio and bring my work into their homes and galleries.”

Hamsa Pottery Gallery is open every Thursday, 2-5 p.m. and by appointment. An Open Studio will be held at 48 Fellsmere Rd., Newton, on Sunday, Dec. 14 from 1-5 p.m., and Monday, Dec. 15 from 7-9 p.m. To view Heit’s work, please visit www.bethheit.com.