From schmutz to schmaltz, these Yiddish gems capture the highs, lows, and occasional fakakta moments of studio life. Even if you’ve never done an art show or wrangled a kiln before coffee, you probably already speak Yiddish — whether you know it or not.
1. Meshuggeh - Crazy — but in the best, most creative way. I’m staying up till midnight firing one more kiln load? I must be meshuggeh.
2. Schmutz - That mysterious smudge that appears out of nowhere. Don’t touch that! You’ve got schmutz on your fingers!
3. Kvell - To beam with pride. Watching someone fall in love with my work — I could kvell!
4. Kibitz - To offer advice (especially uninvited). Not to kibitz, but maybe use a bigger box to pack that order?
5. Nudnik - A lovable pest. My friend is always bringing cookies to the studio while I work! Such a nudnik.
6. Fakakta - Ridiculous, mixed-up chaos. The glass delivery is late and the computer isn't loading the orders — this is fakakta!
7. Tchotchke - A little trinket that makes you smile. Sure, it’s a tchotchke — but it’s handmade!
8. Oy gevalt! - An expressive "Oh my goodness!" Oy gevalt, that blue glass turned purple in the kiln again!
9. Plotz - To collapse — with joy or exhaustion. All the menorahs got out in time for Hanukkah — I’m gonna plotz.
10. Mensch - A truly good person. Michael fixed the light in the studio again — what a mensch!
A Little Yiddish, A Lot of Heart. Yiddish is like art — expressive, messy and full of life! It captures the joy, the mishaps, the pride, the schmutz, and the laughter that keep us going through every fakakta moment.