I'm sitting in front of the wooden lattice gate that
partitions off the rectangular work area of Moshe Chaim Levy,
one of Safed Candles' artists. His chair is on wheels and he
`wheels' himself from the cans of melted wax to his work area
and back again. He's obviously enjoying himself.
"I love this chair!" he says, as he pushes and glides, a
large chunk of golden yellow wax in his hand.
I can't help but smile. Tell me, were you artistic as a
child?
"I drew a lot. My notebooks were filled with drawings but not
too many notes!" He chuckles wryly. "Although sometimes the
notes described what was going on in class. I'd draw cartoons
of this teacher versus that teacher with word bubbles..."
What's your background?
"I'm a baal tshuva. I attended a vocational school for
commercial art, went to a community college for art and music
and finished off with another course in computers where I
developed my own computer artistic designing methods. I spent
two years in yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel before going to
work."
Safed Candles specializes in Havdala candles. How did you
get into wax sculpting for them?
"Safed Candles hired me to do a watercolor painting ad. While
I was waiting for my appointment to speak to the manager
about it, I wandered around the factory and I saw this
chassidic employee playing with some white wax and forming a
sheep out of it. I remember thinking, `What an interesting
medium to work in!' (The employee had permission from the
manager to do some experimenting.) After I had my appointment
with the manager to discuss the details of the watercolor
painting, I asked him if I could try a candle sculpture. He
was very enthusiastic! He waved his hand out in a semi-
bow saying, `Bevakasha!' and then brought me a chair
and wax.
"I spent four-and-a-half hours playing with the different
colors to attempt to get black and I created a man making
Kiddush. (I work a lot faster now!) The following morning,
the gallery opened up at 9 a.m. At 9:15 my `man-making-
kiddush' was sold for $45 and the manager offered me a
job."
What were you working as before you got this job?
"I was experiencing a very creative point in my life,
probably contributed to by the atmosphere here in Safed. I
was doing some weaving, papier mache and painting."
What kind of painting?
"I did a lot of sunsets over Meron as well as signs here in
Safed, and cartoons."
I nod as I scribble down everything that Moshe Chaim is
saying. You've done so many types of artwork. What is your
favorite form?
"I'm a cartoonist by nature. I like to see a piece of artwork
go from conception to expression in a very short time. I can
make a wax sculpture in an hour. I like that feeling of
instant gratification. It can take months, you know, to
complete just one piece of sculpting marble or doing oil
paintings! Also, wax is colorful and three dimensional and
very pliable."
The golden wax he had at first is taking on the basic
features of a man. Do you find that your artwork turns out
the way you visualized when you began?
"Nine out of ten times the facial expressions, for both
people and animals, are better than what I had in mind. It
comes out more like it should come out."
How have your previous art experiences affected your art
now?
"In every way! Every experience a person has affects his
perspective."
It seems to me that artistic people are very
sensitive.
"I think that sensitive people are more open to being
artistic."
Have you ever been especially insulted or especially
complimented?
"Sometimes there are people who think something I've made is
depicting something completely different than what I think it
obviously looks like but it's all just my insecurities and
ego. There are always going to be those who like, or dislike,
what I've done. Getting insulted is a total waste of time.
I'm not saying I've never been insulted. I'm just saying that
I let it go as quickly as I can. I read once that insults and
compliments shouldn't affect a person at all. However,
practicing it is a difficult thing!"
I chew on the plastic end of my pen as I think about that.
The sound of cars pass the candle factory. The click-clicking
of the women braiding candles on the other side of the room
intertwines with the smell of beeswax combining to be, what I
find to be, a soothing atmosphere.
Finally, I ask, Where does your inspiration come
from?
"From the Torah."
Have you seen your sculptures displayed in people's
houses?
"A few times. Although I'd say that at least twenty times
someone heard that I'm from Safed and they mention, often
without knowing who I am, a piece of mine that they bought or
received as a gift. As they're describing it, I remember the
exact piece! I remember working on it!"
Are there particular sculptures that you especially enjoy
working on?
"Believe it or not -- furniture! A carpenter can take
days to complete a table or a cabinet but with the wax
I just chop, chop, chop, then stick on, stick on, stick on
and dip -- and it's done! Another theme that's one of my
favorites is dancing. Just being able to dance joyously and
for Hashem. It's a different kind of dancing."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The permissibility of making and displaying
three-dimensional human figures is a matter of halachic
dispute. Reader's should consult a competent halachic
authority for guidance in this matter before purchasing such
works. Other candles are of course ok.
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SAFED CANDLES specializes in: Havdola candles, Chanuka
candles plus all the other beautiful decorative candles like
tapers, pillars and artistic candles. They send orders
anywhere around the globe, even with a personalized message,
as was requested for one recent order for an eighteen-wick
Havdala candle, sent as an original wedding gift.
SAFAD CANDLES welcomes visitors and customers. To contact,
place orders or arrange for tours, use any of the following
numbers: tel. 972- 4-6921-093; fax 972-4-6923-105;
www.safedcandles.com; scandels@safedcandles.com
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