Haim Sherrf

Heaven's Gate by Haim Sherrf

2009

Haim Sherrf is an Israeli-Canadian artist, born in Beersheva, Israel. At an early age, he won a children's art competition sponsored by the French magazine Paris Match.. Later, as a teenager, his artwork was exhibited in art galleries throughout the world. After serving 3 and a half years in the Israeli army intelligence and air force unit, Sherrf began travelling through Europe. In Greece, he met Israeli artist Avigdor Stimatsky, one of the founders of the Bezalel School of Art in Jerusalem, and each produced water colors from the Island of Crete as a result of this trip. Sherrf's travels also took him to Vienna where he designed stages for cabaret shows and to Amsterdam and other European cities. In Spain, he managed to visit a reclusive Salvador Dali at his hideaway. Leaning on his gold topped cane, moustache flying in opposite directions, the master advised, "live by your art...the struggle will bring the best out of you." Sherrf has contributed much time and effort to humanitarian causes. His paintings have been auctioned to raise funds to fight poverty and hunger in Bangladesh. His painting "Tamal Alam" illustrating the suffering of the Tamalines of Sri Lanka was presented to the U.N. and sold to raise money to help their cause. Among other current humanitarian activities he is Vice-President of the Raoul Wallenberg Society of Canada. In addition to his paintings displayed in galleries from Boca Raton, Florida to Dortmond , Germany, Sherrf's work has appeared on covers of record albums and book and in such magazines as Cadence and Les de Ma Maison. A recent project, a black and white oil on canvas series, deals with the pre-WWII years. His paintings depicted the suffering, poverty and faith of European Jewry. Noting many similarities with the movie Schindler's List, the exhibition of this series was covered extensively by Canadian media. Sherrf lives in Montreal with his wife Yael, six sons and a daughter who contribute much to the inspiration of his art.Haim is the chaplain for the jails in Quebec and a rabbi at "Jewish Hope" a hospital for the seniors in Montreal. He is the Artistic Director of ArtExpo Montreal amongst other projects. His work today is also greatly influenced by the teachings of Hasidism; In his own words: "Chassidut teaches us that a man is an intermediary between G-dliness and this world. Therefore, he has to use his natural-given talents to connect the two." ----------