Created During Operation “Rising Lion” — the 2025 Israel–Iran War
A cry. A prayer. A call to rise.
This powerful original artwork was born from pain—painted live over three sessions during the Soul Journey online painting course, as Israel faced the destruction of war. Amidst fear and urgency, The Roar of the Rising Lion emerged from the depths of my soul.
A roar of war and a beacon of hope.
On one side of the painting, warplanes and flames of falling missiles cut through the sky. In the opposite corner, a dove appears— a whisper of peace, a promise not yet fulfilled, but always yearned for. At the bottom of the painting, there are cities on fire, abstract forms of people under rubble, and, of course, the roaring lion emerging into the foreground.
I started this painting without knowing what it would become, or what would rise from within me. I was carrying so many intense emotions from this ongoing war — the fear, the anger, the anxiety of large flying fireballs in the sky overhead. With my husband and three young children, we would run to the bomb shelter next door in the middle of the night. My whole system was in shock. I was experiencing PTSD. My nervous system remembered the previous Gaza wars—those terrifying nights without a bomb shelter, holding my children close as the windows rattled.
As we faced the uncertainty of the Israel–Iran war (on top of rippling effects of the war that started Oct 7), it was all bubbling up inside me. I was not centered at all. I struggled to be present for my children, to show up as the mother I wanted to be.
But I pushed through.
I also had no idea how I was going to show up for my students in my online painting course, Soul Journey. There were so many reasons to postpone the course. But there was a group of women waiting to heal through the medicine of paint. We had only just started the course the previous week.
Even though I was a complete mess, my husband gave me the courage to continue teaching the course. He knew it would be good for me and my students. With his support, I gathered my strength. I breathed deeply and showed up exactly as I was — with my fear, my pain, my anger, and my anxiety. And wow, am I glad I made that choice to show up. It was exactly what we all needed to carry us through this difficult phase.
In my work as a creative mentor, I guide women to “open their creative channels” and to be with the emotions that arise. I’m passionate about abstract realism because it’s a melding of worlds, where real life can float and emerge from the realms of imagination and emotional freedom.
There’s such a deep relief in breaking free from the rules and confines of life.
The abstract world invites a wild kind of freedom that is deeply liberating. It’s a space where I can paint whatever flows through me — where stagnant energy moves through my body and onto the canvas. When I let go and trust what wants to speak through my heart and soul, painting becomes a powerful and therapeutic medicine. Not only is it healing, but it’s also a way for me to communicate deeply with my true self and my relationship with Hashem. It travels far beyond what words can express, speaking a language of its own. Creating art helps me process the world within, in relationship to the vast universe around me. It becomes a form of prayer — and even a way to manifest what I want to call into my life. It’s how I use inspiration as a stepping stone for inner growth and positive change.
In the midst of an emotional storm, when everything in me felt broken open, this painting began to emerge — carrying what I couldn’t put into words.
When I picked up my paintbrush and let the colors speak what my heart couldn’t hold anymore, I allowed the paint to carry my emotions — so I wouldn’t have to carry them alone.
At first, it was all color and abstract form — just raw feeling on canvas. But by the third session, images began to emerge: a lion, fire and blood, warplanes — and also a dove. The theme of this painting only revealed itself after two sessions of simply releasing what was trapped inside.
And then I am there again — standing before the canvas.
The brush moves faster than thought.
The layers build, thick with emotion.
It’s messy, authentic, and alive.
After the initial release — the raw feeling, the chaotic brushstrokes, the scribbles, the finger marks — something begins to take shape. Then I return with intention. I refine. I blend. I dance with the tension between foreground and background, pushing and pulling them into balance. I bring in my wisdom of composition and technique to guide the painting toward the direction I now see. I move with the divine messages that reveal themselves through the painting process.
This is when the lion calls me to paint with purpose.
This is when realism begins to emerge through the abstract.
This is where I channel what my soul wants to process, what I need to heal, and what I’m ready to manifest.
And when I finally stepped back, I saw what had come through me.
The Roar of the Rising Lion was born.
The lion symbolizes spiritual sovereignty, courage, and divine leadership.
A lion emerging not only to conquer, but to spiritually awaken and reclaim the throne. This piece channels the primal force of courage rising from within.
While painting this, I also felt that I was channeling a lioness—the rise of the feminine.
Kabbalah teaches that when the time comes, the feminine energy will rise and stand equal to the masculine. The moon will shine as brightly as the sun. The feminine and masculine will truly see each other face to face, in perfect harmony.
The lioness represents a primal, protective force — the fierce mother, the ancient guardian, summoned to defend her people and her land. Her roar carries the unspoken prayers of our nation.
As so many mothers face the uncertainty and pain of their husbands and children going off to war, she is forced to stand alone and find her strength. She is left to hold down the home. Or she is a mother of young children, and must create safety for their fears while holding her own.
Every brushstroke is a channeling of heartbreak, strength, resilience, and deep spiritual longing.
This is more than a painting — it is a visual midrash of our times.
A sacred witness.
A voice for all who cry out for redemption.
Avigail Sapir is a Jewish abstract and inspirational artist whose work blends spirituality, emotion, and depth. Based in Pardes Hanna, Israel, she lives with her husband and three children. In addition to creating ketubot and fine art, Avigail teaches and mentors women who seek to open their creative channel and embark on a soul journey through the healing power of art.
Prints of this art available to purchase
www.AvigailSapir.com
ArtbyAvigailSapir@gmail.com
Social Media: @AvigailSapirArt
+972586590416
