BIO
I am Ahuva Elany, an Israeli Copper Judaica Artist.
Married to Amir and a mother of Agam and Or.
When I was 4 years old (1978), I immigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union with my parents and my brother. My parents always dreamt of living in Israel, they were Zionists.
I grew up with values of love for Israel and the Jewish tradition.
In my childhood home, the beauty of Israel, the variety of holidays, events and symbols of Judaism became the source of my inspiration.
When I was in high school I studied graphic design and art.
In the military I served as a Computer Graphic Designer, but inside my heart I knew that my true passion was handcraft, to feel the material and create something tangible. That was the moment when I decided to study jewelry.
In 1994 I started to study in “Bezalel- Art Academy” in Jerusalem ,in the jewelry Department.
That’s where I discovered the wonders of copper.
During the years I worked with gold and silver but I found that my favorite metal was copper. This malleable, warm ancient metal has a variety of colors of deep red, orange and green, I just couldn't resist in this such of beauty.
In 2003 opened my own little studio in my home in Rishon-Le-Zion
and I developed my unique technique.
I use a thick sheets of copper which is cut by means of a specialized thin saw and Photochemical burning technique.
Then the copper is heated by fire using special Heating-and-Cooling techniques, that makes the metal malleable and gives it the special variety of colors.
The copper goes through a hammering and embossing process where it gets its shiny texture. Slowly, the symbols become three-dimensional and look almost alive.
The next step requires 2 layers of lacquer covering to prevent oxidation.
When the copper is dry, holes are drilled and beads are added.
Since 2007 my husband Amir joined me in the business,
Amir travels and markets our artwork mainly in the US at international exhibitions and conferences of Jewish communities.
All of the pieces presented are handmade.
They are the result of love, joy and countless hours of thought, time, and effort.
I am grateful for the ability to create, express and share with others.
Ahuva Elany