Paintings by Gloria Bernstein commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Month

WOODBOURNE, NY — An exhibit of paintings by Gloria Bernstein, “Holocaust Remembrance: The People” will open at the Old Stone House Gallery at 282 Hasbrouck Road on Saturday, May 4, with an opening reception from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Bernstein said, “I started painting Orthodox Jewish people that populated my town and many other communities in Sullivan County in the summertime. Several years ago, as a personal journey to my roots, I started as a painterly project to depict the beauty and contrast of their stark black and white to the colorful natural beauty of the environment. As I read and researched more about the Holocaust, I became intensely involved with the horrifying events of that time in history.

“I knew that I would have to declare my own testimony with my art work because I can find no words for the crimes of the holocaust and so few holocaust survivors are left. And today, the crimes of holocaust deniers and anti-semitism are growing. Only the power of memory will stop those who debate whether it occurred at all. The weapon of remembrance is strong enough to combat the deniers. May is Holocaust Remembrance Month.”

Bernstein has had several one-woman shows, a retrospective, and group shows locally and in New York City galleries. She has had many awards including two major awards in painting from the National Association of Women Artists, Inc. Her works are in public and private collections and she has done many commissions for homes and offices.