Acrylic on paper, 48" x 62", framed. This work is from a private collection.

Calman Shemi was born in 1939 in Mendoza, Argentina. At age 13, he began studying sculpture and pottery. He graduated from the School of Sculpture and Ceramics in Mendoza. Shemi immigrated to Israel and settled in Kibbutz Carmia in 1961. Subsequently, Shemi studied under Italian Argentine sculptor Libero Badii and later under German-Israeli sculptor Rudi Lehmann. He worked as both a sculptor and a painter.

In 1977, he invented/developed a technique called “soft paintings”: layering fabrics of different textures, shapes, and colors, sewn together (using a special sewing machine) onto a background. Other signature techniques include lacquer paintings and window paintings. His works are often vibrant, exploring color, light, texture, and depth. He fuses abstract and figurative elements; the effects are sometimes layered, with multi-dimensional surfaces.

Shemi's works are held in public buildings, private collections, and displayed internationally. Shemi had over 70 solo exhibitions in many countries: the USA, Japan, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Middle East, and others.

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