The Story Behind the Painting: Vineyards Beneath Jerusalem’s Sky
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Sometimes the best art starts with a little bit of adventure. This painting began on a drive through the mountains of Gush Etzion, just outside Jerusalem. My husband was behind the wheel when the view opened up. Before him were rolling hills bathed in golden light, grapevines stretching across the foreground, and the sky spilling soft light over the land. He knew we had to capture it. (Plus, he's been trained to always be on the lookout for striking landscape scenes for me to paint).
So, he pulled over to the side of the road, camera in hand… when a growling shepherd farm dog appeared out of nowhere. The dog clearly wasn’t a fan of his photography plans and chased him back to the car. Still, the view was too beautiful to give up on. After a few minutes, he tried again, waiting until the dog wandered off. From a safe distance, he quickly snapped the shot that would later inspire this painting.
When I brought the image to life on canvas, I wanted to preserve that feeling of the warmth of the light, the gentle folds of the mountains, the life in the vineyard below. The finished piece ended up catching more eyes than we expected. It was even chosen for the front cover of a boutique wine booklet, which felt like the perfect pairing for a scene rooted in Israel’s wine country.
To me, this painting is a slice of the Land of Israel, a moment of courage to stop for beauty, and a reminder that sometimes the best stories start with a little unexpected drama on the side of the road.
