Isaac Brynjegard-Bialik is a Jewish artist living in Southern California. He cuts up comic books and reassembles them into work made of clean lines and patterns, sinuous shapes and sharp edges, large fields of color and small intimate spaces.
He first showed his work in a “Yom Yerushalayim” arts fair in Jerusalem, and has since shown work in galleries across the globe; his work is in the hands of private collectors around the world. Brynjegard-Bialik’s recent large commissions include “Tree of Life” for the new chapel space at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and “To Boldly Go,” presented to William Shatner on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland.
Trained in graphic design, Brynjegard-Bialik started cutting paper while living in Jerusalem. He regularly speaks about the intersection of art and Judaism, has written on the topic for the CCAR Journal, and maintains an annual summer residency at URJ Camp Newman, where he leads workshops teaching campers about papercutting. In 2013 he was the artist-in-residence for the Union for Reform Judaism Biennial. He received a juror’s award in the 2015 “Heroes & Villains” show at the Annmarie Sculpture Garden & Arts Center (affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution), and was included in the Jerusalem Biennales in 2015 and 2019.
Brynjegard-Bialik is married to his high school sweetheart Shawna, who is a rabbi in the Reform movement. Together they founded Paper Midrash, bringing together contemporary art, pop culture, and scholarship in custom workshops and residencies (www.PaperMidrash.com).
The Jewish Art Salon (JAS) is a 501.c.3 non-profit organization. It is a global network of contemporary visual artists and art professionals. Established in 2008 and based in New York City, JAS has over 400 members and over 2,000 participants. Through its 60+ shows, events and collaborations in the US, Europe and Israel, JAS has reached approximately 30,000 individuals since its inception. JAS provides important programs and resources, and develops lasting partnerships with the international art community and the general public.
