This week on TheRebbe.org we are featuring, in our series of Peter Kalms's memories of his audiences with the Rebbe, an article discussing the Rebbe's opinion regarding his daughter Tanya's study in art school: My Daughter's Academic Choices.
I asked Tanya Canvasser (Kalms) to share with me her feelings about that audience. Here is her response:
There is no question that this visit to the Rebbe, of righteous memory, was a very significant event in my life.
I cannot even begin to imagine what my life would have been like had I not followed the Rebbe's advice and gone to art school.
I continued my studies in Jerusalem, ultimately meeting my husband there.
Although I always continued to do some artwork on the side, not going to art school left me open for other things.
I later became involved in education, especially preschool, both in Israel and abroad. That experience affected my personal growth and prepared me as a parent, for which I am very grateful.
After more than 30 years, I finally found an art school for religious women in Jerusalem – that I have no doubt the Rebbe would have approved of – where I was able to channel my artistic skills into training as an art teacher and silversmith.
Today, I am still living in Jerusalem, I teach painting, and work as a freelance jewelry smith.