Meet Tere Schwartzbart

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tere Schwartzbart.

Hi Tere, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
As a young girl in El Salvador, I entered the workforce in the Mercado by the time I was 8 years old. I never had much of a childhood. I remember helping my mom to make paper flowers but pursuing my dream of painting was the furthest thing from my mind. Luxuries like going to school or holding a paintbrush were out of reach. When the civil war broke out, I left El Salvador for a very unknown future in California with just the clothes on my back.

Fast forward about 30 years and I always liked art but I never thought that I would come to the point where I would actually be painting. Every time I went to a gallery I would think “Oh, just don’t dream. It will never happen.” At some point, I felt like God was saying “Stop dreaming. Go!” So I went. I enrolled in a community college majoring in art. As a housewife that had been out of school for many years, I picked up a paintbrush for the very first time. In a few short years since then, I have been featured in numerous exhibits, led several exhibits, visited the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem, and opened Galeria Bezalel. I would tell anybody who has a dream to go for it. You never know what God may be waiting to do if you will take the first step.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Going back to school as an adult was a big challenge for me. I was surrounded by youngsters that had been painting all their lives. Where I came from, I was working from the age of 8. I had zero opportunity to pick up a paintbrush as a child. Young people who have grown up in America with books, art supplies, musical instruments, etc. in the classroom don’t realize what a gift it is to have an education. They don’t know how good they have it to be able to focus on school during their childhood as opposed to going to work.

I learned along the way, that sharing your art with others requires a thick skin. From day one, I experienced encouragement from some, criticism from others, and even downright rejection from galleries and art associations.

When COVID hit, we pretty much closed the gallery. Now the whole art business has changed so drastically. So many galleries are more online or pop-ups now instead of permanent destinations. Galeria Bezalel is alive and well but more online and mobile than we once were.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am literally on a mission from God! Everything I paint is for the glory of God. My art is uncomplicated. I don’t consider myself to be competing with other artists. I paint what I feel God wants me to paint. My paintings are soft and pretty. When I am painting I am in a very personal space. When the inspiration comes, I like to close the door for hours and not talk with anyone. I have a beautiful and very personal intimacy with God when the paint is flowing.

I want to paint BEAUTY. I want my art, even my abstracts to transmit something meaningful to people. I love landscapes, fruits, and flowers. I don’t attempt to paint photograph-like realism. I DO want my abstracts to give a gentle reference to another time and place and transport the viewer to a place of peace.

My upcoming exhibit “Tropical Roots” is a return to my roots. This exhibit will feature nisperos, zapotes, anonas, and many more fruits from my childhood. I hope for it to be a sentimental journey for Latinos from many countries and an escape from the ordinary for Americans that may not be familiar with this delightful part of God’s creation.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love the FOOD of Los Angeles! I love that I can have the Mediterranean one night, Japanese the next, and then In N Out after that. I love that there are all kinds of people cooking a huge variety of foods with passion.

I like exploring the unknown and the unique places where you can lose yourself on some hidden adventure 20 minutes from home. From Little Tokyo to the beach to the snow, there is no shortage of excursions. Of course, I love the arts districts with eclectic galleries and wonderful restaurants.

I don’t like the traffic. Driving in DTLA and Hollywood is crazy as much as I love both. Unfortunately, crime and homelessness make safety a concern.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://galeriabezalel.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/galeriabezalel/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zta.zta.9
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/artschwartzbart
• Other: https://shoutoutla.com/meet-tere-schwartzbart-salvadoran-american-fine-artist-and-owner-of-galeria-bezalel/

Image Credits
Aaron Schwartzbart, Tere Schwartzbart