Artist and coach contributes to MSD community and creative culture

Photography By Melissa Sweredoski of Moments By Mel

A lifelong artist and creative coach teacher, Lori Arbel has found the balance between art and academics, with her detailed work keeping people together.

“Two students who come to mind are Daniel Farji and Alyna Taub,” said Arbel. “We’re still friends and we’ve watched each other evolve as artists, as humans, and those are the most special relationships.”

From as early as 5 years old, Arbel has had an interest in art and knowledge. Many people think of a library as tall walls with boring, ancient volumes. But she saw it as a place with inky treasures and one that offered advice.

“I’d go to the library and I always had a stack of arts and crafts books,” said Arbel. “I remember being at the kitchen table making paper-plates arts and crafts with my cousin, and in that moment, I remember saying, ‘I love this.’”

Arbel later went to the University of Florida for her two-year undergraduate degree and a minor in photojournalism and art. She used art as a method to help heal and worked through the heartache of her mother’s death. She was then inspired to become an art educator, and at Florida International University she earned her master’s in art education.

For 20 years, Arbel’s career led her to teach in Manhattan, New York, and throughout South Florida. She is known for her mixed-media artwork, including drawings, paintings, prints, photographs, montages, and designs.

One example is Arbel’s “Thought Patterns,” a mixed-media collection using marks to question how people connect, respond, and make marks on the world while embracing emotional introspection for content — a creative expression as dialogue. Pops of bleached buttercup golds and yellows illustrate metaphors, and irregular lines may symbolize negative energy turning in a positive direction.

Arbel’s educational mission for Holocaust Remembrance Day and the currently all-virtual exhibition “#Marks4TheirLives” combines her artistic talents along with submissions provided by the public, who can participate and send in their projects for inclusion in the online gallery.

The exhibition focuses on a simple mark or line, on any size paper. This is to make a mark for each year of someone’s life, to celebrate their existence and uniqueness, and to honor the 1.5 million children whose lives were taken in the Holocaust.

“It’s a pun for March for Our Lives and March for the Living, which is a Holocaust program trip to Israel and Poland,” said Arbel.

This is meant to symbolize how everyone will confirm their own mark and existence and share their reflection on the process. The mailed submissions will be woven together to create a quilt, a celebration of life. All works will be displayed in a traveling art exhibition.

Arbel’s first full-time job was 20 years ago as an artist at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. After leaving Manhattan, she returned home to Parkland. She volunteered as a teaching artist with Eagles Haven, a wellness center created for the MSD community following the mass shooting.

“We created art together,” said Arbel. “It helps to heal and be in a loving and supporting environment.”

Alyna Taub has a history with Arbel. For nine years, Arbel has been a mentor, teacher, and friend to Taub. Their relationship began in high school when Arbel allowed Taub to express her creativity when the drama of high school swamped Taub’s teenage years. Through numerous lunches, class sessions, and after-school hours, Arbel supported Taub’s love of poetry, surrealism, and illustrations. Taub was inspired to go on and graduate from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s in visual arts.

“She’s been a constant support of inspiration, unconditional love, and friendship,” said Taub. “And I’m forever grateful to have a bright soul such as her in my life.”

The workforce behind the dress

Marriage isn’t a ring worn or a paper signed. It’s not something endured, but savored. While people spend months, even years, planning every detail of the big day, there isn’t anything that could have prepared them for the coronavirus pandemic. Some couples had to cancel or delay because of coronavirus concerns, many still proceeding with smaller gatherings or virtual weddings for now. Designers and bridal shops that cater to these major life events are doing what they do best, offering creative solutions to unexpected circumstances. Alexander Couture Bridal in Pompano Beach and Susan Rose in Coral Springs are both open and working to accommodate their clients.

David Ramcharan, who has worked as a designer at The
Art Institute and an event planner, is continuing the 30-year tradition at Alexander Couture Bridal of providing his clients with the right dress for their event. “About 60 hours can go into a single wedding dress,” said Ramcharan. “It can take five to six months to be ordered in, but I’m still getting brides to come in and have that feeling of getting their dream dress.”

Susan Rose does not offer wedding dresses, but focuses
on fashion for other major life events – quinceañeras, sweet sixteen parties, bat-mitzvahs; along with dresses for your backyard wedding these days. She is seeing a mix of reactions from her clients, many forging ahead with their events, but with smaller groups, and many with virtual components to connect with loved ones not able to travel.

Both Susan Rose and Alexander Couture Bridal are minimizing risk
to their clients by seeing clients via appointments and following all social distancing and mask rules. Fashion is an in-person collaborative experience to try on a dress and customize, if required. To ensure her client’s safety, Rae Ann, owner of Susan Rose, shared that all dresses get sanitized after being tried on, and her two-hour appointment slots give the staff time to disinfect after each visit.

Ramcharan says, “We’re still taking safety precautions in the store like wearing masks, gloves, washing hands, and being mindful. Brides are still allowed to try on gowns because I want it to be as personal as possible. Regardless of what’s happening, my goal is not to take away from the experience that other brides have had in the past before the pandemic.”

At Alexander Couture Bridal, “we have a lot of dresses I create, and
we also have for the curvier girl. I give them a wish list for the design process, they tell me what they want, we do alterations, and if I’m putting my name on something it has to show I did them right. So even with the pandemic and a lot of things having changed, productions, styles, and fabric choices, are still going well.”

“The pandemic has also changed the way people shop for wedding dresses,” said Ramcharan. “A lot of brides are now also shopping for dresses online.”

The coronavirus outbreak has caused worry across the wedding industry. Postponements and cancellations have forced couples, bridal shops, and vendors to get creative. Most boutiques are doing virtual try-on’s however, Ramcharan believes the brides are limiting their experience by not getting the proper style, fabrics, or measurements when purchasing online.

“We give them a tour, suggestions for styles, fit, designs, and really help to make it a one-one-experience that you just can’t get when online,” said Ramcharan. “It can change the entire way it fits, and a dress often takes multiple appointments to find one that’s a suitable dress. Followed by several fittings over the course that can take up to several months.”

Ramcharan does believe the sector is anticipated to recover gradually after COVID-19 related restrictions are lifted. However, the recovery of the sector will depend on people feeling safe enough to hold a large gathering.

Many will likely downsize to smaller gatherings, or postpone the ceremonies until the pandemic fully subsides. Engaged couples who are planning to get married in the near future could postpone the ceremony to further save up for the occasion too.

Speaking of a recent wedding, “[The bride] said this was the wedding [she] really wanted and better than what we originally had planned,” said Ramcharan. “We were also able to do live streams with 300 guests when she would have originally had fifty. Even a lot of men were into it, and it all came out so beautiful and perfect.”

Pandemic or not, life still goes on, and many in the communities are finding creative ways to celebrate important life events. So if you are starting to plan your event, reach out to these two local businesses, they will be happy to give advice and share their experiences.

 

Contact information:

  • Alexander Couture Bridal, 878 SW 10th Avenue, Suite #8, Pompano Beach, FL, (954) 943-7768
  • Susan Rose, 9829 W Sample Rd, Coral Springs, FL 33065, (954) 472-2120

 

By Nile Fortner

Photography by Gabriella Melo/@melometer

Additional contributions by Li Pan

Unsung heroes – your local retail store workers

In many parts of the country, quarantined residents cheer for essential workers such as doctors, nurses, and first responders, to thank them for their service. From hospitals to the grocery stores, there are essential workers out there every day during the coronavirus pandemic. Essential workers such as grocery store employees are constantly restocking toilet paper, poultry, produce, and canned goods as fast as the items fly off the shelves.

These workers disinfect carts, keypads, handles, and checkout counters as hundreds of people weave around them, sometimes working weary hours behind clear plastic barriers installed at checkout counters.

They aren’t doctors, nurses, or home health aides, yet they are earnest and sometimes praised for their work. Their dedication has been recognized by singer Adele, Pope Francis, former U.S. President Barack Obama, and countless individuals on social media.

For Jordan Dennis, being an essential worker right now means masking up and taking the uttermost health precautions to be a helping hand.

“I feel happy to contribute my services to the cause,” said Publix employee Dennis. “The customers are getting the supplies they need and that is what always makes me happy.”

Dennis, who has been a Publix employee for 5 years, is still on the job. But the stress of the coronavirus is taking a toll as workers risk exposure to the virus. Dennis’ work hours have been shortened because of decreased customer activity. However, it’s a little bit more elbow grease than he’s used to.

“We now need more time to restock our shelves and clean everything every hour,” said Dennis.

According to Dennis, cleaning products such as Lysol, Clorox, and wipes are the first to go. Dennis hasn’t seen hand-sanitizer last on shelves for more than a day. But during these uncertain times, Dennis remains grateful.

Since April, Publix initiatives have supported farmers and are helping to feed those in need. The Publix Company announced it had purchased over one million pounds of fruits and vegetables to donate to the organization ‘Feeding America’ member food banks, which includes ‘Feeding South Florida.’ 

The non-profit organization estimates over 17 million people will experience food shortage from the pandemic, with many looking towards ‘Feeding America’ to help feed their families. 

“You just hope that you can find the right people to work with — people who can come up with the right solutions to help you make it through. We found that right partner in Publix.” 5 Brothers Produce Senior Sales Associate Thomas Torbert. 5 Brothers Produce is a Florida vegetable farmer and distributor.