THE 72 NAMES of GOD: HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN

Betsy Stendig Cook
September 10 – October 29, 2026

About This Exhibition

Here, 72 pieces of art, each infused with one or more Divine energies, have been created to invite viewers into a contemplative encounter with an ancient and mystical tradition from Kabbalah: THE 72 NAMES of GOD. Kabbalists understand these are not “names” in the conventional sense, but patterns of energy, each representing a distinct spiritual frequency: qualities such as healing, courage, clarity, transformation. In other words, “How the Light gets in,” to borrow from Leonard Cohen’s inspired “Anthem.” Hebrew letters, according to Kabbalists, are not simply an alphabet but God’s instruments of creation. Here arranged in 72 sequences of 3 each, they form energetic keys for unlocking specific sacred energies to create a mystical experience of each Name.

About the Artist

Betsy Stendig Cook’s relationship with art making began and continues not through conventional channels but through mystical ones. In her early thirties she was inspired by a San Francisco Bay psychic to become an artist. Back then, she didn’t even own a paintbrush, much less have any training, drawing skills or artistic ambition. But she did have a marriage, two small children and a 24/7 business to run. Fortunately, though, she took the “you-have-a-gift, use-it-or-lose-it” message seriously. Along the way, Jungian analysis – using paintings as dream surrogates and informants – inspired new ways of creating and thinking about her work through the mystical process of excavating the Unconscious to bring it into conscious awareness. This coincided with a friend sharing about Kabbalah, the 72 NAMES OF GOD, and the mystical power of the Hebrew letters as instruments of creation and manifestation. So it’s often her inspiration and source of healing to infuse various Names into her work, since art for her is not only a passion for color and texture, but also about using courage – to trust, to shun judgment, to go deep.