STORE

The Air Above My Head

In 2015 and 2016, Noa sat down to work on her “autobiography of an illness.” For years, people had asked her how she managed to thrive and survive, living with cancer on and off for almost thirty years, but she often dismissed this “luck,” for she knew it had been hard-won. And yet, at a certain point in her life, she agreed to write about her experience, not getting lost in the details or the heartbreaks, but with a light touch, exploring how she had come to live for so long with a steadily advancing illness, all the while loving and enjoying life, and creating works of extraordinary art. The result was The Air Above My Head, A Spiritual Journey, Cancer and me: 29 years and counting. Of her story, composer and pianist Seymour Bernstein wrote, “Noa’s incredible ability to turn diversity into creations of all sorts fills me with courage and determination. I see this book, therefore, as an external message of hope and forbearance for anyone fortunate enough to read it.” Her book carries with it a clear, life-affirming message, resonating with her spirit. It is a source of inspiration for artists, and for those in need of hope and encouragement in all its forms.

Women of Power

In 2017 and 2018, Noa began work on a series of portraits inspired by the Women’s March, and by a call to action from women around the world. She was drawn to capture both historical and contemporary symbols of female empowerment, working within a political realm unlike any she had touched before. Starting with the honorable Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and moving on to youth leaders, Naomi Wadler, Malala Yousafzai, and Emma Gonzalez, she found a place to express her own strength. The series would culminate in a show on November 15, 2018, entitled “Women of Power,” presented at Really Great Things, a prestigious clothing store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The show took place amidst a sudden and unexpected snowstorm, one that would leave the city in total gridlock. It was the night before Noa was to begin a round of aggressive chemotherapy, a last-ditch attempt to quell her advanced cancer. Despite the snowstorm and her impending treatment, she was determined to be there, as were her friends, who gathered in the space to admire her beautiful works. Her ability to relish and enjoy the reception, despite what was to come, perfectly demonstrated her indomitable spirit, and her contagious joie de vivre.

Noa Shirts were created as a way to bring her work to the greater public, and to continue the mission of her “Women in Power” series.