Draft:Serena Janet Israel

• Comment: Se WP:AUTOBIO. Greenman (talk) 12:20, 17 July 2023 (UTC)

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Serena Janet Israel

Serena Janet Israel (1971) is a professional mold maker, designer, art restorer, artist and art teacher of German origin. She settled in Curaao in 2001 after eight years of sailing around the world in a self built sailing boat for a period of eight years.

Serena Israel famous smile

Early life

Serena Israel with sisters

Serena Janet Israel (1971) was born in West Berlin into a creative and loving family of hardworking artisans and entrepreneurs in West Berlin. Her family encouraged her to appreciate music, culture and art and from an early age, Serena, the eldest of three sisters, developed a passion for color, form and leadership with a heart. A passion that is easily seen in her craftsmanship, company values ​​and artworks today. It is very important to note that Serena sees herself more as a craftswoman than an artist. The difference between an artist and a craftsman is that the artist creates something that is aesthetically pleasing and conveys a message through their art. While a craftsman masters the production of functional mass-produced items.

Inspired by the old craft of mold casting, in 1988 she joined the Gipsformerei Staatliche Museen in Berlin, Germany, in 1988, at a young age and learned how to cast molds with plaster, silicone and jelly. She completed her apprenticeship training as Gipskunstformer in 1991 with top marks and received a three-year scholarship from the highest grade. She also received a stipendium of three years with the IHK - Industrie-und Handelskammer Berlin.

In the summer of 1991 she continued her studies at the Natural and Ethnological Museum and Egyptian Museum, Berlin. Participation in a demanding, 4-year full-time training. In order to become a professional restaurateur, she had to complete her night school. In 1993, she had finished her night school. Serena was one of the first women to study mold making. She joined this class at the age of 16 and was in the class with 15 male classmates. She felt like the young sister of all her classmates. They helped her a lot in class, and she learned various techniques of mold making and restoration of crafts. In 1993, she decided to work at the Den Kongelige Afstbningssamling Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 Serena decided to work in East Berlin, practicing the restoration techniques and styles typical of the former East Germany. She worked during the day for the Bodemuseum, the Neues Museum and the Pergamonmuseum in East Berlin, restoring famous sculptures of Greek gods and Egyptian pharaohs. Nights and weekends, she and her teacher ran their own backyard studio and worked on private and commercial restoration commissions. She worked at several exhibitions and there learned how to set up and organize exhibitions and how to transport works of art.

Craftsman

Serena Israel making plaster sculpture

Serena also runs an art restoration office specializing in the restoration of plaster and stone sculptures, a craft she learned in Germany and perfected over the years working for famous art museums in Berlin. Their customers include churches, museums, commercial companies, non-profit companies and individuals. In addition to working with plaster, Serena also made clay works, took drawing classes, and designed and sold African trade bead jewelry. Made of glass, these beads served as slave currency and were originally made in Italy. Serena's skills helped her gain more experience, especially as she began interacting with different teachers from around the world.

Curaçao

Just before joining the university to earn an academic degree as a restaurateur, her life took an interesting turn, and she decided to travel the world and sail the seas together with her partner. In 1998, she started with her previous partner to build a Colin Archer sailing fishing-cutter on a German wharf and had sailed around different countries. Their self-made boat was appropriately named ‘Momo’, after the main character of Michael End’s world-famous book relating to his specific time philosophy.

Serena Israel, Ben and baby Chayen

She sailed from Europe, via the Canary Islands, West Africa, Capo Verde islands and the Dutch Caribbean, but there was a small island that made her fell in love, Curaçao. This island is situated between Aruba and Bonaire and is 691 km away from Venezuela. She fell in love with the culture and colors of this beautiful island and in 2000 she decided to ask for citizenship on the island of Curaçao, and settled down to start a new lifestyle.

After meeting her beloved partner Ben, she decided to start a family and an art career in Curaçao. Her Daughter Chayen Clemént was born in 2003. Proud mother of a girl with two passports, Canadian and German born on Curaçao. Serena lost in the last 20 years twice her life partners, the father of her Daughter Benoit Clemént in 2011 and Michael Anthony in 2021.

Michael Anthony was the love of Serena’s live, and he was like a dad to her daughter, Chayen. In addition, he was Serena's mentor, guide, and motivator.

First Chichi is born

Serena's First Chichi at Landhuis Bloemhof

Chichi is a sensual, shapely figure from the Caribbean. She represents the vibrant, dynamic and responsible older sister. Serena's first chichi was born at Landhuis Bloemhof, a well-known art gallery, during one of Serena's art workshops. To teach her students the art of papermaking, she constructed the original chichi shape using chicken wire, paper, and glue. She later sculpted the Chichi out of clay and cast a mold out of silicone to make it easier to reproduce.

Inspiration

Serena was inspired by the French plastician, painter and sculptor, Niki de Saint Phalle, who made the "Nana" sculptures.

Serena's Art Factory

Serena Israel with painters

In 2008, she designed the Chichi sculpture and opened her own art factory: Serena's Art Factory, a limited liability company. Here, with the help of her 19 employees, she makes various sculptures, including chichis.

At first, she painted the Chichis herself, but as demand grew, she expanded her team, including local craftsmen and artists, who shared her creative passion. Serena believes in helping others, and that's why she gave more than 92 local residence the chance to become a Chichi painter.

From there her success grew and led to a new shop in Punda where you can also find more of her artwork.

Community

Besides all the crafting, Serena is an ambassador for tourism. She is an active member of CTB, CHATA and DMO. Serena's Art Factory also actively participates to sustain the local community with her art work, mentoring at the local University of Curaçao and school projects.

Inclusiveness

Chichi Inclusiveness

In 2017 Serena’s Art Factory became a member of Curaçao Hospitality and Tourism Association (CHATA). One of main points CHATA wanted to highlight in 2018 was experience, they did this by focusing to appeal to different target audiences that are not usually given the most attention. This is an important way to also bring Curaçao forward in tourism in a positive view. In the meantime Serena became an active member of CHATA’s activity task force, which focusses mainly on promoting activities that are inclusive to various target groups, such as dolphin therapy. That is why in 2018 the wheelchair Chichi was created and became an ambassador for inclusiveness within tourism and to raise awareness for wheelchair accessibility.

Second Chance

Chichi painter #66

Serena’s Art Factory was approached by Curaçao Centre of Correction and Detention (CCCD/SDKK) to support their resocialization program. Serena and her team started by giving them the same training their usual painters would receive. Once they were able to paint the Chichi on their own, they could become a part of the regular painting program, which is held in the workshop rooms at their location. Serena and the team are proud of how far they have come to be able to paint such beautiful Chichi and have been amazed at how positively they took up the challenge.

Work and contracts

Privately, Serena received many important contracts and these were the most outstanding for her:

• Relief casting of the Brandenburger Tor, Berlin, Germany,1998.
• Casting of the mask of Marlene Dietrich, Berlin, Germany 1999 a very famous television actress.
• Restoration of the mask, in the film: Metropolis, for a private collector.
• Restoration and casting work for Mondklab KPM Berlin, Germany 1998 for a private collector.
• She cast a 7th century Indian goddess Bronze sculpture for the Völkenkunde Museum of Berlin, Germany

Magazines

• 2011, Curaçao Traveler Island guide
• 2012, Berlin, Curaçao Tourist Board Magazine, Impressionen Stadsnen aus Curaçao
• 2012, Dushi Magazine

• 2012, 2013 and 2014 - 4th and 5th edition Stadsgids, City Guide Willemstad Magazine
• 2014, MyWay magazine
• 2014, 7th and 8th edition of Q-Magazines Curaçao
• 2015, Coaching Magazine
• 2015, Sammlerausgabe, Das Erbe unserer Welt, National Giografic
• 2020, German Lisa Magazine
• 2021, Architecten punt Magazine
• 2022, Article BBC Travel

Exhibitions

• 2023, Miss Supranational 2023
• 2021, Miss Supranational 2021
• 2021, DEMA Show
• 2022, Art X Veiling