Through the Eye of the Needle, the Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz will be shown at the Francis Creative Arts Center in New Martinsville on May 13 at 6:30 p.m.

ArtsLink will offer a free presentation of the film Through the Eye of the Needle, the Art of Esther Nisenthal Krinitz on May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Francis Creative Arts Center, located at the corner of Maple Avenue and Washington Street in New Martinsville. Light refreshments will be served.

Esther Nisenthal Krinitz told her story of surviving the Holocaust in Poland through the eye of a needle. Her incredible story and her unique fabric pictures are revealed in this documentary.

In 1942, the 15-year-old Esther and her 13-year-old sister Maria left their family and ran away when the Jews of their village were ordered by the Nazis to report to a nearby train station. They evaded the Gestapo for two years by pretending to be Catholic farm girls.

In 1977, at the age of 50, Esther began creating works of fabric art to tell her story of survival. Trained as a dressmaker, but with no training in art, she created 36 remarkable fabric pictures of strong, vivid images and fold-art realism. She meticulously stitched the narrative of her story beneath each picture. The pictures reveal a shocking incongruity between the beauty of the pastoral landscape and the violence, terror and betrayal experienced by the sisters on their journey.

Miriam Brake, ArtsLink quilts class instructor comments, “All of my students are really looking forward to seeing this film”.

For further information on this or other ArtsLink activities, please call the ArtsLink office at 304-455-2278, e-mail at artslink@artslinkwv.org, or visit the website at www.artslinkwv.org. ArtsLink is committed to providing universal accessibility wherever possible. Persons with special needs may contact 304-455-2278 to request assistance. Financial support for ArtsLink’s activities thanks to West Virginia Northern Community College, WETZ/WYMJ/WNRJ Radio, Chesapeake Energy, Dominion, Enterprise Holdings Foundation, and Ohio Valley Online.