Ellen Lefrak

Is best characterized as figurative and mainly people oriented. She always captures her subjects involved in what they are doing- never posing. She uses photography (both video and stills) as a way of collecting raw material. She then works from the photographs, using them merely as a model with the objective of interpreting the character and the movement in the photographs and not trying to copy them She will often use several photographs to create one image.

Ellen has established herself as an expert in silkscreen. Each piece is created by hand and in small editions (10-12). Her technique is both uncommon and non-traditional, as she uses transparent colors only and creates her prints directly on the screen, working from only a basic sketch.

She finds that the transparent colors are more flexible and blend better, not leaving such flat areas of paint, as do the opaque colors on standard silk screens. The overall affect is more aquarelle-like rather than graphic.

In recent years, Ellen has been concentrating more on oil painting, as well as pastel and other media. Ellen Lefrak was born in Yonkers, New York. She majored in art in High School and after graduation, studied for one year at the Tyler School of Fine Art at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa.

In 1962, Ellen fulfilled her dream and emigrated to Israel. She quickly established herself in the Hebrew culture and managed to support herself while completing her studies at the Hebrew University, graduating in 1968 with a BA in Archaeology and Jewish History. That year, Ellen was chosen to lead the team of archaeologists responsible for the registration of finds at the first (ever) excavation of the Southern Wall in Jerusalem, where she worked for 5 years.

By 1971, she was taking private art courses and in 1972 she entered the Fine Arts Department of the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, being one of 40 students accepted out of 400. During her years at the school, Ellen was an assistant in the drawing and silkscreen departments. She received her BFA in 1976, having specialized in printmaking.

Following her graduation, Ellen created a studio in her Jerusalem home, where she has been working and teaching and printing for others ever since. In addition she has taught drawing, silkscreen and photography in various cultural centers, as well as the Youth Wing of the Israel Museum, to both adults and children.

She has since taken courses in computer graphics and video photography, which she has successfully incorporated into her work.

When not visiting and painting in Ireland, she continues to paint and teach in her Jerusalem studio, and hold periodical exhibitions in various venues.

EDUCATION
2001	7-week course in Web Site Design
1995	5 month course in video, organized by Community TV. Specialized in video photography.
1993	4 month course in Computer Graphics, given by the Open University in Jerusalem - supported by the Ministry of Labour. Studies included; Macintosh based drawing, Freehand, Photoshop, scanning techniques, use of Rav Daf and Rav Ktav ( desk top publishing).
1976	Received BFA from the Bezalel Academy of Art. Won second place for the Struck Prize for artistic printmaking.
1972 - 1976	Studied in Bezalel's Department of Fine art, learning painting, drawing, sculpture and especially print making techniques such as lithography, etching and particularly, silk screen.
1968 - 1972	Private courses in drawing, painting, sculpture and etching.
1963 - 1968	Studied Archaeology and Jewish history and received her BA from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
1962	Studied sculpture and drawing at the Bezalel Academy of Art.
1962	Studied English Literature and Jewish History at the Hebrew University.
1961 - 1962	Hebrew studies at Graetz College, Philadelphia, Pa.
1961 - 1962	Studied art at the Tyler School of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, Pa.

EXHIBITIONS
2008	Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
2006	Clew Bay Hotel, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
2003	KYLe Studio Gallery 669 main St Falmouth MA
2002	Westport Library, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
2001	Braveheart Gallery, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
2000	The Municipal Gallery, Jerusalem
1999	Targue Music Center, Jerusalem
1998	Kay Gallery, Beersheva Gallery Tzurim, Kibbutz Urim McLoughlin Gallery, Westport, Co. Mayo, Ireland
1997	The Israel Festival-official exhibit at the Jerusalem Theatre
1996 -	Private Home, Monte Sereno, California
1994 -	The Artist's House, Jerusalem
1994 -	Westport Library, Co. Mayo, Ireland
1992 -	The American Cultural Center, Jerusalem
1991	The Red Sea Jazz Festival, Eilat
1990	Philip Murray, Eilat
1985 and 1987	The Artist's House, Jerusalem
1983 -	Alon Gallery, Jerusalem
1983 -	The Print Museum, Tzfat
1981 -	The Artist's House Jerusalem
1980 -	The Municipal Museum, Eilat YMHA-YWHA, Jerusalem
1980 -	The Center for Visual Arts, Jaffa
1977 - 1981	The Jerusalem Courtyard Hans and Graetz, Jerusalem
1976 -	Schatz Gallery, Jerusalem