Ben Zion does all the designing himself. His more commercial designs combine modern fashion trends and Yemenite traditional craftsmanship. Some pieces Ben Zion makes “for the soul” which are not for sale. Pieces which he makes for collectors of Judaica, are heavy and expensive and made completely by hand. For these pieces he prepares the threads by hand, interweaving them to achieve a special and unique braided effect.
His commercial designs combine casting and handwork. They are inspired by the traditional Yemenite design of heavy bridal jewelry.
Ben Zion did not always design jewelry. After his army service he studied electrical engineering in theUnited States for five years. Returning to Israel , he was supposed to begin work as an electrical engineer an electronic firm. While waiting for the company’s security clearance, which took seven months, in order to support himself, he began to create his Judaica designs and sold them to collectors in theUnited States. By the time the security clearance came through, he was already immersed in his art.
Ben-Zion pieces are on display at museums and galleries both in Israel and the US , along with pictures and explanations, and he has won the “Accent Magazine” design competition for two consecutive years.
It seems that Yemenite jewelry has not only an interesting past, but also an exciting future. |