August Moon Muse

MAAYAN BARUCH

Kibbutz Canvas: Raising Kids with Nature, Clay and Open Skies

After a decade in the bustle of Tel Aviv, Maayan Baruch (42), her partner Oren, a pilot and multidisciplinary artist, and their two children, Alfie (8) and Ruby (6), moved to Kibbutz Glil Yam, a pastoral, idyllic agricultural village next to the glamorous Herzliya. The relocation wasn’t an escape so much as a reorientation: less about leaving the city and more about making space for a different daily tempo. 

Their home reads like a domestic atelier- A shelf of Oren’s handmade vessels opposite a proud display of Lego projects, children’s drawings pinned on the walls, overlooking a garden of fruit trees and sunshine. Maayan is a lawyer who approaches language with the same patience and craft as a maker shapes clay. In this feature we meet a family for whom creativity is not a career per se, but a way of thinking- a set of small rituals that shape how they work, parent and reset. 

You call yourself a lawyer, not an artist- what does creativity mean to you?

I don’t define myself as an artist, but creativity is constant. Law, for me, is an art of words- listening closely, interpreting, shaping meaning. The same attentiveness shows up when I cook, bake, tend the garden or make things in my free time. Living with my partner Oren, who is a pilot by trade, but also sculpts, writes comedy, and plays multiple instruments, turns creativity into our family language rather than a job description.

How did moving from Tel Aviv to Glil Yam change your creative life?

The move reframed our pace. We still go to Tel Aviv for art and culture, but here there’s more room for projects that require patience: a potter’s kiln schedule, a seasonal garden, a Lego city that grows incrementally. 

Tell me about the house- how do you make it a creative place?

Our home is a weave of things we use and things we love. Many of our everyday objects are made by Oren- pots, bowls, mugs- so the table is always half-studio. We hang a selection of Alfie and Ruby’s artworks in the home so that their creations become part of the evolving space. Books, natural materials, plants and handmade objects live side by side so that creativity feels accessible, visible and usable.

What routines keep creativity alive for your kids?

Simple, shared practices: cooking, baking, gardening, drawing, making music. There’s almost always a long-term Lego project- something we build slowly together, allowing ideas to evolve. We collect small treasures outdoors- tree sap, porcupine quills, leaves, stones-  and turn them into art. Alongside this, we make a conscious effort to expose our children to art and culture beyond our home. We take them to museums and exhibitions, attend concerts, theater, cinema and dance shows, both in Tel Aviv and abroad. These experiences allow them to explore different forms of expression and find inspiration in many worlds.

What do you hope Alfie and Ruby take from this upbringing?

My hope is that they grow up feeling confident in their ideas, guided by curiosity and sensitive to their surroundings. I want them to remain open, inquisitive and unafraid to explore- to ask questions, experiment and express themselves freely.

Where do you go when you need to refuel creatively?

The moments that inspire me most are when I travel. I try to do it as often as possible, even only for a few short days. Stepping into a different place, language and rhythm allows me to reset, observe and gather inspiration. Another place that deeply inspires me is the desert in the south of Israel-  its quiet, openness and simplicity create a sense of clarity and space which I so appreciate.

Shop The Looks

Photography: Eden Maarek

Consulting/ Styling: Adi Beker

@maayunitlv

Oren's Pottery:
Flying Potter