It is truly a blessing when one’s enthusiasm for an avocation continues even after retirement from a long and successful vocation. This is the happy story of Teaneck’s Sharon Frankel.
Frankel retired in 2019 from a successful and fulfilling career as an early childhood educator at The Moriah School for 40 years. Her hundreds of students were the lucky beneficiaries not only of her pedagogical skills but also of her artistic bent. Wherever possible, Frankel incorporated artwork into the children’s experience. For one of her projects, her young students created a wall-sized Kotel in celebration of Yom Yerushalayim. When former Moriah Principal Rabbi Prager retired, Frankel and her co-teacher Frumie Croog had their early childhood students decorate and embellish a guitar as a memento to his having played guitar and sung with the delighted little ones over many years.
For the past three years, many of which were spent in isolation during COVID, Frankel devoted herself to her passion of creating “mosaic creations and embellished gifts.” From shards of broken china to yards of fabric trim and hundreds of glittery items that she has collected over the years and stores in her “woman’s cave,” Frankel has created happy and distinctive objects that she hopes to display to the community during her first home sale on Sunday, March 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Frankel’s works include hanging wall adornments such as her “Chamsa in a House 1 and 2.” She has taken plain vases and given them new life as colorful and imaginative containers. Her picture frames are vivid and whimsical works of art designed to coordinate with memorable occasions. Pearls abound in her work as adornments alongside semi-precious glittery stones and faux diamonds. Creative challah trays and jewelry boxes are adorned with exquisite appliques and multi-colored china fragments along with abutting porcelain petals skillfully separated and inserted into the object. Frankel has also created a unique line of hanging pendants, each distinctive in its embellishment and many commemorating special occasions.
Frankel shared that she was always involved in the artistic, creative process. She earned her bachelor’s degree in theater and art at Queens College and went on for her master’s degree in early childhood and special education at Fordham University. She feels blessed that she was able to integrate both her teaching and creative passions during her many years at Moriah.
Beginning in 1986 with her family’s move to their home in Teaneck, Frankel has been collecting objects for her creations. Over the course of 36 years she has sold over 700 artworks through personal sales, consignments and made-to-order pieces. She has displayed and sold her art pieces through boutiques sponsored by charitable organizations including AMIT, Emunah and local JCCs. The artwork ranges in price from $36 to $200. This upcoming art sale will donate 18% of its profits to Chai Lifeline, an organization greatly admired by Frankel.
When attending the sale, be sure to see the magnificent kitchen backsplash created by Frankel from hundreds of detailed and decorous tiles, a true treat to behold! Her works can be viewed on Instagram at www.instagram.com/sharonhfrankel.
The community is invited to attend the upcoming art sale by Sharon’s Distinctive Designs on Sunday, March 20, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 816 Queen Anne Road. Rain date is March 27. Checks and cash will be accepted. For further information, contact Sharon Frankel at [email protected]
