Havana Dancers Painting

Hi. I am Chana Rachel Gaffin (Weinberg).   I am a graduate of Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Tel Aviv.   In Shenkar, I have developed many new skills in fashion design, prints, illustration, and sewing. The highlight of my fashion degree is my Reflective Nature Swimwear Collection. The collection is inspired by the memories of my early childhood in Lancaster, PA, feeding the ducks and watching their reflections in the water. Birds, water and art have always been close to my heart, and the materials for this collection were all painted by hand and developed into prints inspired by these motifs.   Born in Lancaster PA, I moved to Israel with my family at age three, re-locating to a strongly Anglo-Saxon community.  I spent my teenage years lifeguarding, teaching art in summer camps, and taking sewing courses. At age fifteen, the seed was planted for my future career in fashion design, when I decided to invest in two sewing machines. I began to ravenously design, sew, and re-create endless fashion items.  I discovered this was my true passion, and chose fashion design as my career. In 2011, I began my fashion studies at the Shenkar College of Engineering and Design.   During my later years in Shenkar I started growing closer in my Judaism and in 2016 launched my line of colourful modest activewear; Chanabana Activewear. My job experience has taken me to several different places: Australia, New Zealand, Las Vegas and London, where I had an opportunity to intern with the amazing Mary Katranzou.  Today I spend my time designing and teaching art.  I find beauty in nature, water, birds and reflections.