My Last Name Has a Secret
Written by Jordana Hanono
I've spent most of my life creating things with my hands. Whether it's painting on a canvas, working with gold leaf, or building something from scratch, there's something about turning raw materials into something beautiful that has always felt natural to me.
But the older I get, the more I realize that perhaps my love for creating didn't start with me.
Maybe it's been in my blood for generations.
My last name, Hanono, has a story behind it. One that begins long before I was born, in the ancient city of Aleppo, Syria, where my family lived for generations.
The name Hanono is believed to have originated from henna, a natural dye traditionally used to color skin, hair, and fabrics. My family was in the henna business in Aleppo, working with their hands to create something that others could use and appreciate.
But henna wasn't the only craft in my family's history. They were also dressmakers, sewing and creating clothing by hand. Their livelihoods were built on patience, skill, creativity, and an incredible work ethic.
In a way, they were artists long before I ever picked up a paintbrush.
What makes this story even more meaningful to me is what that hard work made possible.
Through the family henna business, my relatives earned enough money to put my grandfather through medical school. I think about that often. The work of one generation opened doors for the next. What began as a family business became an opportunity for education, a career, and an entirely different future.
And that opportunity didn't stop with him.
Eventually, my grandparents left Aleppo and immigrated to Brooklyn, New York, leaving behind the familiarity of the world they knew in pursuit of a better life. Like so many immigrant families, they worked tirelessly, made sacrifices, and built a foundation for generations they might never get to meet.
They didn't have the luxuries or opportunities that I have today. But they worked to make sure their children and grandchildren would.
Sometimes I wonder what my ancestors would think if they could see me now.
A 22-year-old Jewish artist, making a living doing what she loves, sharing her work with people around the world, and using her creativity to tell the stories of our people.
I often think about how different my life is from theirs, and yet how much of what I do today is rooted in the life they built. They worked with their hands out of necessity, to support their families and create opportunities for the next generation. Today, I have the privilege of working with my hands out of passion. And I know that privilege is something I owe to them.
And perhaps the most beautiful part is that the art I create today is so deeply connected to the very heritage they passed down to me.
My paintings celebrate Judaism, Israel, faith, and the resilience of the Jewish people. These aren't just subjects I choose to paint. They're pieces of my identity, an identity that my family worked so hard to preserve.
When I think about my success, I know it doesn't belong to me alone.
It belongs to the generations who came before me. The ones who worked long hours, who made sacrifices, who believed that their children deserved opportunities they themselves might never have.
I get to pursue art because they built a life in which that dream was possible.
And I hope that, in some small way, every painting I create honors them.
My family once used their hands to build a future for the next generation. Today, I use mine to tell the stories of the generations that came before me.
And that's what it means to be a Hanono.
This is the very first “Sundays in the Studio.” Every Sunday, I’ll share a little more of the stories behind my work. Thank you for being here.
With love, Jordana
Hands of G-D
36 × 48 in
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