Ein Hod Artist Colony
February 25th 2014
Established in 1953, the Ein Hod Artist Colony is a quaint village that sits among the lower slopes of Mt. Carmel in the Haifa region. Working together with the well-known, Romanian-born artist Marcel Janco, a group of artists developed the idea of organizing a creative habitat at Ein Hod. Their vision was to live together, build their studios and workshops and enrich the then-brand-new State of Israel with all manner of artistic expression and art education. Today Ein Hod is one of Israel’s most compelling destinations, a bohemian haven dedicated to beauty and all types of handicrafts and high art.
Within the village’s winding streets and alleyways, 500 residents open their home-based galleries to visitors. Ein Hod’s galleries feature every kind of artistic expression imaginable, from iron sculpture, painting, photography, wearable fabric art, silk screening, ceramics, jewelry, Judaica and printing to restored antique furniture and original handcrafts. Even if you can’t get to all the individual galleries, be sure to visit the Ein Hod Community Gallery, which brings together the work of many local artists.
Also especially noteworthy is the Nisco Museum of Mechanical Music, which grew out of a hobby for its proprietor, Nisan Cohen. Long fascinated by mechanical ingenuity as well as music, Cohen brought his collection of antiques with him when he relocated here from the US in the late 1990s. He has collected an impressive array of music boxes, from handheld ones to player pianos, during his travels all over the world.
Living together in a village created to inspire art encourages the resident artists to cooperate, collaborating on projects and teaching each other advanced techniques, so they can grow in their skills. Many of the local artists are particularly inspired by the natural environs of Ein Hod. The village is surrounded by the remains of Crusader-era structures and overlooks both the Atlit fortress and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Ein Hod Artist Colony features 14 hands-on workshops, offering guests a chance to participate, creating art alongside local artists. You can also stay at one of the local bed and breakfast inns at Ein Hod and live and practice among the resident artists for a few days.
In addition to galleries and workshops, the village offers visitors fine restaurants, cafés, a bar that specializes in beer and art as well as a selection of B&Bs, each of which parallels Ein Hod’s emphasis on creative expression.
