Camp's Public Art

One of the special aspects of the grounds of Camp Ramah is that its buildings are covered with works of art. Everywhere you look, you can see paintings based on Jewish phrases and sayings that were created by campers and staff. The creative mind behind these works of art is Paul Palnik, who has been with Ramah since 1995, when Rabbi Soloff asked him to evaluate the camp's art program and make recommendations on taking it into a new direction.


Now, there are approximately 60 paintings that adorn our buildings, adding more beauty to our already beautiful surroundings and acting as inspiration for all who see them.

Paul Palnik (Creative Director/Artist-in-Residence):
When I first came here there was no outdoor art at all. Rabbi Soloff asked me to try to develop a new creative program, so we set out to totally redevelop the entire program from the inside out. The first concept that I had when I reviewed the entire camp was that there was no art anywhere. Maybe you'd see a little picture the size of your hand to your elbow hanging on a wall somewhere. And even then it would be tucked away inconspicuously.

After evaluating the camp I decided that this is an outdoor place. When you go into a Jewish home there's art on the walls. So I decided that our living room is the kikar and its environs, but there's no art on the walls. So the public art came about as an attempt to recognize that we live outdoors here. There should be art everywhere. So we decided to put art on the walls.

We began increasing Jewish spirituality into art classes from a creative point of view. Kids get a chance to take a phrase from the siddur or from the Torah that interests them or excites them. If you paint it and draw it and labor over it and sit in the sun and hang it up, you get it. It really comes home to you. The process of interpreting text through artwork turned out to be a good learning device.

Campers and staff members have created a lot of these paintings and we rotate them and move them around and when the kids or other staff do new things, we put them up as well. As a result, we have a camp full of art. Just like in a Jewish home, a child grows up with art on the walls and it becomes a part of them. It creates a message of creativity, beauty and sensitivity to aesthetics.

Another aspect is that creativity is best taught by a role model. I can't tell you, "Be creative." But I can be a role model for creativity. I'm always out there working; people can see me every day making art. I always tell my staff that you never know which little eyes are looking at you, saying "I want to be like her" or "I want to be like him."

Camp Ramah is an amazing setting for creative people to make music, art, poetry - every type of creative endeavor is respected and praised. It's a very special place for brand new artists and professionals like me - and everyone in between.