Ofra Friedland Works
Born in Jaffa, Israel, in 1959, is considered one of today’s more significant contemporary Israeli artists, creating in oils, murals, tapestry, ceramics and sculpture. After studies at the Ramat Gan College of Art and the Avni Institute in Tel-Aviv, Ofra apprenticed to several of Israel’s leading artists, and was first recognized for her oil paintings which took Biblical themes for inspiration.
Among her best known works in oil are the fifteen panel “Song of Ascent” series based on the Psalms of King David; a fivepanel representation of the Five Books on Moses; a mural of scenes of Jerusalem, and other series based on traditional themes such as ‘The Seven Species’, ‘The Twelve Tribes’ and the ‘Seven Days of Creation.’ Some of these motifs have also been rendered as rug designs, stained glass, ceramic and bronze sculpture, and frescoes.
Described as a “lyricist in color,” Ofra is a master of diverse artistic media and has been commissioned to design complete environments such as synagogue designs that encompass a wide range – oil paintings, rug and tapestry designs, stained glass windows, synagogue furniture, and building façades. Her complete environments also appear in several hotels including the Dan Pearl and Olive Tree in Jerusalem and the Hilton Tel-Aviv, among others, and in other commercial buildings in the United States and Europe.
Ofra’s artistic philosophy includes willingness to entertain new perspectives and try to bring together wildly divergent influences. She sees the artist as a means to interpret and amalgamate a subject with material in a unique and meaningful way that people can recognize and connect with.
Because Ofra sees her art as a medium for discovering personal truth and values, she has volunteered in projects that open the door of creative expression for many diverse groups with special needs, including young cancer patients, IDF soldiers at a rehabilitation center, and gifted children.
