Spirituality in artwork found in nature
The power and beauty of mother nature inspires Dorit Schwartz in her work as an aritst and motivates emotional and spiritual changes in her personal life and people's homes.
Renowned local sculptor from Summerlin, Dorit Schwartz creates sculptural pieces from natural wood and crystal. Her sculptures exist to evoke feelings and represent different stories that draws people in physically and spiritually. Schwartz's work comprises of organic, natural materials, such as crystals, raw stone, and reclaimed wood.
The immersion of various natural materials comes from her admiration of the environment. Her use of organic shapes and her artistry created the original collections. Schwartz's collection “Light Within” is something that she says has never been done before. It's a collection of sculptures that combines quartz crystal and wood, seemingly two materials that people told her would not work together, but in the end it's these pieces of work that created a name for herself among the local businesses and galleries in Las Vegas.
“It was crazy idea that the people said, but it was something that resonated with me, and eventually it took off like fire,” Schwartz said.
This collection emphasizes in expressing the invisible elements into physical terms, expressing spiritual enhancement and power that is found in the natural world. Schwartz's collection and pieces has been featured in galleries and business all over Las Vegas, such as the Southern Nevada Museum of Fine Art, the Wynn Home Store, and TheArt360° Exhibit in the mayor's office at City Hall. Her various works can also be found in private collections all over the world with pieces in London, Milan, Paris, Zurich, Los Angeles and New York.
Growing up in Israel, Schwartz had been exposed to the natural environment at an early age.
“I spent a lot of time in nature,” Schwartz said. “That was a great influence, too, with my parents. That actually allowed me to do whatever I want, to bring those logs and woods into my room and create chairs and tables. They were totally open and supportive.”
Schwartz studied fine arts at the Wizo Art School in Tel Aviv and moved to Los Angeles at 17, where she continued her studies in various institutions. Like many sculptors, she started with clay, then evolved to using marble, and eventually using marble and wood. Schwartz believes that earthy materials can be made into art that can improve someone’s life.
“I am enhancing people’s lives by bringing that positive energy into their home," she said, "...making them more calmer and creating a serene environment where they live in.”
Merging of the wood and crystal, an unlikely pairing, is something not many artists can do. It takes months for Schwartz to create a whole sculpture with the right wood crystal to combine together. Schwartz said pieces of wood she collects from all over the world would sit in a pile, and she would pick some pieces one by one to see what inspires her. Her last piece “Facets of Life,” a gigantic 72-inch tall piece of acacia wood and white quartz, took three years to finally complete. With the help of her assistant Angelo Carvalho, also a landscape architecture student in UNLV, Schwartz created one of her greatest pieces, which is now available on Artsy, an online resource for art collecting with partnerships with galleries from all over the world.
“Dorit has a connection with her art pieces, from the wood she chooses that connects with the minerals that seem to speak her like they are one,” Carvalho said. “Her inspiration comes from the heart that goes hand in hand with what she creates.”
Even with hundreds of sculptures in her extensive portfolio, creating something new using the gifts that she call from mother nature is still not something easy to do without the right inspiration.
“I truly love what I’m doing,” Schwartz said. “The idea that I could spend time in the studio to create, mold, to find the right crystal to be placed on that empty space, or you could call it a vacuum space, or you can call it a space that need additional energy, that’s an inspiration.”
Kenneth Brown, a writer for Schwartz, has written poems, messages, and descriptions about each sculpture that Schwartz makes.
“Dorit’s work captures the beauty and timelessness of nature with a polish that allows for nature to reverberate in the most civilized of settings,” Brown said. “To me, they are a reflection of not only her connection to the earth, but they are reflective of the aspiration to return to an appreciation of naturally occurring things."
When thinking of Las Vegas, the image of an art district or art scene is not the first thought in mind. However, Schwartz believes that the city is growing within the art sector as the diverse population grows. Since 2008, she’s been a full-time resident artist for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she created her iconic work “Celebration of Life” and other sculptures. At that time, Schwartz said that there were many enthusiastic artists and individuals who were thrilled to see public art around the city.
“Because we have such a diverse city, that people come from all over the country, people are longing for it," she said, "The city is growing so rapidly and the art scene is becoming pretty big here.” However, in comparisons to other cities, Las Vegas still lacks support for art, often seen as a "cultural wasteland."
“I think we should have additional galleries, and have the city, that they’ve currently started doing, is public art. Have the city support the artists as much as they can. Currently, it’s quite small at the art scene in Downtown. Maybe it needs to be expanded to different areas."
Whichever city an artist is in, getting that local audience is what many artists first try to accomplish. As an accomplished artist and entrepreneur from Las Vegas, Schwartz believes in always staying true to her art.
“I always say that when an idea comes to you, it needs to manifests through you. When an idea comes, just don’t give up,” Schwartz said. “Pursue what’s calling to you. The big thing is to create a brand, that when somebody sees an art they will know that it belongs to you.”
For more information, contact Dorit Schwartz.
Further Reading:
"Ascaya to Showcase Sculptor Dorit Schwartz." Las Vegas Review Journal, 24 Aug. 2018,
https://www.reviewjournal.com/homes/advertising-features/ascaya-to-showcase-sculptor-dorit-schwartz/
Henkel, Laura. "Stone + Wood + Empty Space = Art." BLVDS LV.
Peterson, Kristen. “'Wasteland' Studded with Gems.” Las Vegas Sun, 21 Jan. 2008, lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jan/21/wasteland-studded-gems/.