Sag Harbor - Annette Heller, abstract expressionist artist in East Hampton will be unveiling a series of paintings based upon the Kabbalah. The show will be in the Temple Gallery at Adas Israel Synagogue located at 30 Atlantic Avenue and Elizabeth Street in Sag Harbor (up the hill from Espresso Restaurant). This gallery space has just been created to show art on Jewish and Biblical themes and/or done by Jewish artists inspired by Jewish, religious or secular themes. The exhibit will have an open reception on October 9 between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. and the entire public is invited. Besides Annette's work three other artists will be part of the exhibit.

The Series of 10 Mixed Media canvases were created to represent the 10 Sefirot (Symbols) of the Kabbalah. The Kabbalah is a mystical and spiritual aspect of Jewish philosophy (it has also been adopted by Christian theologians) that explores the process of creation and has been adopted by those who seek to perfect their lives and imbue the creative process by understanding the spiritual aspects of life. Kabbalah has been accepted by both believers and non-believers in God who want to explore how to make the world a more altruistic and less selfish place.

There are 10 Sefirot starting with the need for creation (the beginning) and ending the creation itself and the perfection of what is created. In between Creative need and Creation are eight characteristics dealing with modes of knowledge, judgment, accomplishment and aesthetics which are melded and combined to make the creation happen.

Since the 10 Kabbalistic symbols are spiritual and abstract, Heller represented each in an abstract work which brings viewers into each painting to understand and discuss the meaning of the work and the characteristic.

The artist is a Graduate of CCNY where she was first introduced to art doing jewelry design and casting and studied with the sculptor Ursula Witt which led to a series of acrylic sculptures.

She started a company called "Art to Wear" for which she designed and made jewelry of all types and concepts, learned the technique of "lost wax" casting using a centrifuge to cast silver and gold pieces, sold jewelry at fairs and outdoor markets and several of her designs were purchased and sold by Bergdorf Goodman in New York City and Nubest in Manhasset, NY.

Always entrepreneurial she started a marketing research business and designed a large consumer research facility where people gathered to express their opinions (Long Island Groups in Focus). Next, she provided input into the design and colors of the packaging of snack food products of her family company, Harry's Premium Snacks.

When in 2002 she moved to East Hampton, she started taking courses in painting studying with Hector DeCordova, then at an intensive course at the Institute art school in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Applied Arts in Amagansett, The Art Barge, and The East Hampton Academy of Art. She narrowed her choices in the beginning to oil and acrylic on various surfaces and chose abstract art as her mode of expression. Her work has been displayed and sold in many galleries and shows in the Hamptons. In 2007, her work ("Summer Dream") was judged best abstract in the Guild Hall Member's Show judges by Faye Hersh, editor of Art in America.

In describing the Kabbalah Series Annette said, "Throughout history, the Kabbalah has been represented in many ways. "In studying the Kabbalah it became apparent that the concepts of the Kabbalah Sefirot are abstract representations of the steps between a Creator and the Creation. Each Sefirah represents both a specific concept and an abstract idea.

"When I first started painting in abstract expressionism, I was drawn to the idea that it is the only form of painting in which the viewer brings his or her own perceptions and experiences into what is seen. Ask yourself, what do you think and feel when you see a Rothko color field or a Pollock drip painting? No two people will have the same answer."

"I hope that the viewer of these 10 works will use my expressions of the Sefirot to interpret each in their own way and discuss what it means to you and with others, and I hope that you will be encouraged to read more about Kabbalah and think of it as a path to use between the creations and accomplishments in your life. You will find it a path to personal happiness, altruistic behavior in your relationships, and in doing so, a path toward perfecting the world" says Heller.