The Jazz Painter

In recent years, Ellen has concentrated almost exclusively on Jazz as the subject of her art. Her love for Jazz was heightened in 1989, when she first attended the Red Sea Jazz Festival in the town of Eilat on the Gulf of Aqaba, where she was living at the time. At one of the performances she started photographing the musicians while they were playing. It made her feel as if she was a part of what was happening and not just a member of the audience. She was thus able to both create and hear the music, while the musicians were creating in front of her. The subject, with its coloured lights, the frozen images and the wonderful characters, slowly took over most of her work. This enabled Ellen to become more inventive, while she tried to capture Jazz’s wondrous improvisations, while working in oils, pastels, silk screen and collage.

Evelyn Blakey

Oil

2000

She now has more than 150 Jazz pieces. Her great dream is to create a book of these images and is open to any suggestions.

Max Roach - about Ellen Lefrak

"Ellen seems to paint what she hears. And you can hear it too. Her work speaks to you, it moves you. It transcends the differences of age and culture and language around the world."

 

James Carter and Friends
Oil
2000

 

All this artwork and more is available for sale,
as well as small prints of Ellen's work.
 

Contact the Artist

© Artwork copyright of Ellen Lefrak, 2001-2007