“When I have an idea I’m all in.”
Golden Hands, Endless Talent
From a young age, Chaya Koritz was recognized for her exceptional talent, often referred to as having “golden hands.” Her artistic abilities were evident in everything she touched, from teaching art to children, creating with FIMO as a child, tailoring clothes as a teenager, to even cutting hair.
Rooted in Tradition, Inspired to Create
Raised in the Haredi community of Mea Shearim in Jerusalem, Chaya Koritz attended Beit Yaacov. In this insular neighborhood, normal life revolves around Jewish law, prayer, and the study of the Torah and other religious texts. Despite lack of exposure to international art styles, young Koritz found various ways to express her artistic soul. She always knew that artistic expression would play a strong role in her life.
Crafting Creativity, Seeking Art
While studying at Beit Yaacov, Koritz dabbled in graphic design and always felt a need to express her creative self. Outside of school, she began studying makeup artistry and hair design. By the age of 15, she was tailoring clothes for herself and friends. Although she enjoyed working with her hands, she felt restricted by tailoring, which she saw as more craft than art. Inspired by her mother’s decoupage art, she believed she could achieve more with her innate talents.
Building a Salon, Shaping Personalities
At 18, Koritz pursued studies in makeup and hair design, quickly demonstrating her natural abilities. At 19, she married and started working at a sheitel salon in Geula, Jerusalem. Soon after moving to Beitar Illit, clients began requesting her specifically, prompting her to start a salon of her own.
For ten years, Koritz ran her own salon, helping clients express their personalities through their hair. She brought unique tastes to hair styling, pushing the boundaries of sheitel styling while staying current with trends. For each of her clients, these sheitels symbolized tradition and modesty, but Koritz had a unique touch that allowed each wearer to find their own stylistic preferences, creating a deeply personal connection between her clients and their hair. She understood that this was more than just a wig—it was an extension of a woman’s Jewish soul. Despite her success and her entire identity being wrapped up in hair, Koritz always felt something was missing.
Seeking to advance her career, Koritz hired a business coach who asked her to write down her inspirations. Immediately she felt compelled to write painting and creation. Until then Koritz had always viewed painting and creation as therapy, but seeing these words in front of her gave her the courage to pursue them as a career. She closed her flourishing business to chase her true passion.
Breaking the Mold, Chasing Dreams
“It was time to break the mold and chase my dreams.”
Koritz set up a home studio and quickly rediscovered her golden hands. She dedicated herself to learning new skills and techniques, experimenting with various types of paints, applications, and even gold leaf. As an autodidact, it felt natural for her to explore these techniques independently, but she still felt limited by her own efforts and sought to further develop her skills.
After only a few months of painting, Koritz’s art began to sell, affirming her decision and direction. It was time to take another leap and pursue the formal education she felt she was missing. This led her to discover Kira Wolf. Within a few short weeks, Wolf recognized Koritz’s talent and invited her to join Studio Kli as one of their resident artists. To this day, Koritz is a valued member of the studio and continues to develop her unique expressionistic style under Wolf’s guidance.
Chaya Koritz’s love of life shines through in her every action and endeavor. Beyond her artistic talents, she finds immense joy in the simple pleasures of daily living. An avid marathon runner, Koritz embraces the challenges and triumphs of long-distance running with the same passion she brings to her art. This enthusiasm for life, movement, and self-expression is evident not only in her vibrant paintings but also in her dedication to her growing family and savoring each moment. Her approach to life, much like her art, is about pushing boundaries, celebrating beauty, and enjoying every step of the journey.
Chaya Koritz’s art features expressive forms and modern techniques, with calming color palettes that offer a fresh perspective to the orthodox audience. Her work goes beyond Judaica themes, focusing on emotional expression and the simplicity of beauty. She aims to convey the essence of enjoying a space and simply being. Her paintings, with their light colors and touches of gold, celebrate life, trends, and fashion, allowing individuals to express their truest selves.