Elise Pittelman: The Borscht Belt

Elise Pittelman: The Borscht Belt

November 17–December 31, 2023
Reception: Saturday, November 18 | 4-6pm

SOLO GALLERY

The Borscht Belt is a solo exhibition and homage to the large hotels in the Catskill mountains that were abundant during the latter half of the 20^th century. The area became lovingly known as the Borscht Belt because its visitors were predominantly Jewish, during a time when other resorts did not allow Jews. These nostalgic works depict scenes from these summer resorts that have now completely disappeared, and speak to Pittelman’s deep personal connection to them.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Elise Pittelman has been an artist all her life. She received a full scholarship to study art at Cooper Union in New York. She left school after 2 years to get married and start a jewelry business.  Pididdly Links prospered for almost 30 years. After the sale of this business, she turned her attention to fine art with ornate bird houses, handmade chocolates, paintings and drawings. Pittelman has exhibited her work locally and globally, mostly working from photographs. She works in series including Family Album, a series of black and white paintings from photographs of her family; images of Jamaica; The Bar Mitzvah, paintings from derived from the photo albums of friends and family; and her current passion The Borscht Belt, her homage to the cultural phenomenon of Jewish resorts in the Catskill Mountains.