L.Baz Creation
Amnon Elbaz was born in Jerusalem in 1952. Thanks to a favorite family pastime of taking apart and reconstructing all things moveable, Amnon acquired a true talent for solving mechanical dilemmas. In 1974 Amnon joined the police Canine Corps and 3 years later became a member of the Egged bus company, working and supervising in technical departments.
Born in 1955 in the USA, Robyn Keller Elbaz had the benefit of being surrounded by a creative family with an eye and appreciation for antiques and the arts. In the early 70's, she and her mother became fascinated with antique glass beads, amassing knowledge and quantities of them to incorporate in their ethnic jewelry designs which were marketed throughout the West Coast.
The two met when Amnon was on a visit to the USA in 1980. Robyn introduced Amnon to the wonders of colorful art glass and he became hooked. Six months later they married and moved to Jerusalem. Wanting to spruce up their first home, they decided to install a stained glass skylight. Since there were no supplies for art glass at that time in Israel, along with a friend, they set about making their own lead cames and building a furnace in which to make their own (crude!) glass. At the urging of this same friend, Winston Doull, Amnon began making beads and tools for flame working in the early 90s. He then taught beadmaking to Robyn and their 3 children, Erez, Shani and Ayal. Each family member now creates their own distinct style of beads which Robyn and Shani design into wearable art jewelry.
Along with this evolution came their involvement in the glass community at large, teaching and supplying tools to both established and beginning glass artists. They have organized many lampwork events with international guests and are founding members of an Israeli lampworking society which include top level, talented artists - many of whom have received international recognition.
Robyn's and Amnon's glass art has been on display in museums, art galleries and traveling exhibits throughout Europe, Israel, Japan and the United States. They have also been featured in international publications.
L. Baz Creations have a complete studio at their home in Givat Ze'ev. They also maintain a partial studio on the Caribbean Island of Utila, Honduras in the magical Jade Seahorse complex.
Exhibits:
2006 Good Things, Small Packages Public Glass, San Francisco, USA
L.H. Selman Gallery, Santa Cruz, USA
2006 - 2007 Perles D'Ecume Musee Berck-sur-mer, France
2007 Fragile Reality Eretz Israel Museum, Israel
2009 Muy Caliente Windisch-Hunt Fine Arts Gallery, USA
2009 Everything Glass Gan Shmuel Gallery, Israel
2009 – 2010 Perspectives Corning, NY continuing tour in USA and Japan
Media:
2005 A Jerusalem Family’s Passion for Glass by Wendy Elliman, IP Service
2005 Yediot Newspaper, Modern Times
2008 Haaretz Newspaper, Gallery – Clearly it’s Beautiful
2010 The Flow Magazine, Winter Edition: Interviewed by Marcie Davis
‘Robyn Elbaz – A look at the Resourcefulness of Israeli Glass Artists
2011 Creating Glass Beads by Jeri L. Warhaftig, Lark Press
2011 The Glass Artist's Studio Handbook by Cecilia Cohen, Quarry Books,
Due for publication in June, 2011
