Medium Oil on paper | Size 30.8x40.7 cm (approx. 12.1x16 inches)
 

 
I painted this work from my garden in Kedumim. Growing up in Netanya, I was not used to such a view from my home. 
 
It is a beauty beyond words, 
 
just imagine the sunrise, 
 
and the silence is pure heaven. 
 
This was the first image that came to mind when I finished the painting.
 

 
I thought about the irony of the name given the shocking events in recent years. 
 
The title can sound detached from the reality of Samaria. 
 
Often, I find myself stuck in massive traffic jams before the checkpoint with no way to turn around. Workers walk on the road 
 
and village children press against my window,
 
trying to sell food. 
 

 
It is far from heaven,
 
actually it feels more like a heart attack.
 

 
After the murder of Tseala Gaz Hy"d, 
 
who was killed on the road while pregnant,
 
I realized that this landscape is not heaven in the simplistic sense. 
 
There is great beauty here but also deep pain. 
 

 
And this is the story of this land, 
 
beautiful and painful, 
 
and there is no escaping it. 
 
But it is ours. 
 

 
It has an incredible story spanning thousands of years, 
 
and that history belongs to us as well.
 

 
This painting and its title help me internalize this complexity. 
 

 
A Piece of Heaven, 
 
because in its essence it is exactly that 
 
and it deserves to be. 
 
I am certain that one day it will truly be only heaven.
 

 
This work is part of a series of paintings depicting the landscapes of Samaria, an enchanting and meaningful Israeli landscape.
 

 
Available for Purchase
 
 
 
Original Painting A one-of-a-kind oil on paper by Livnat Bashari Juli
 
 
Fine Art Prints High quality reproductions on premium archival paper or canvas available in various sizes