About

“In the process of wood sculpting, one is strongly exposed to an intoxicating wood smell and its inherent embedded grain. The process requires one’s full concentration; it involves the use of the whole body and mind in motion. The repetitive rhythmic mallet movements transfer meditation sensations into form and texture that eventually grow into sculpture itself. Every sculpture creates a personal, intense journey of wandering and discovery.”

- Tanya Leef

Tanya Leef (b. 1955, Riga, Latvia) began her artistic journey as a classical pianist. At age 16, she moved with her parents to Israel where she earned two music bachelor’s degrees simultaneously, one in piano and one in music education, from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

To further her academic studies, she moved with her husband, the composer Yinam Leef, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the US for graduate school. She graduated from the master’s program in music therapy from Hahnemann Medical College, now Drexel University College of Medicine, and completed its family therapy program. After six fulfilling years in Philadelphia and gaining the needed skills, Tanya and her husband returned to Israel.

Tanya spent the next forty years of her professional career in the field of development of social services in Israel. She also raised two children along the way.

Throughout her life she continued to search for ways of expanding her creative interests. Tanya discovered sculpting in Philadelphia during a clay sculpting class at local community center, which introduced her to a new medium. In Jerusalem she took a course in clay and concrete casting with sculptor Paul Taylor. In the process of sculpting, she discovered that her true passion lay in wood, which became her primary material. She connected to the wood’s tactile sensations, its organic qualities, its radiating warmth, and the possibility of transforming reclaimed wood trunks into abstract forms that transcend the forces of wood.  

For many years Tanya viewed herself as a weekend sculptor, and only after retiring from her full-time position did she change her status to that of full-time sculptor. Over the years, she created and displayed large-scale works along with small-scale sculptures. After having undergone a successful back surgery, she discovered that it is possible to create significant yet small-scale pieces. She treated them as intimate creations resembling chamber works. They present the viewer with a different kind of esthetic in relation to size and form; they are highly refined tactile objects with versatile display and viewing possibilities.

Solo Exhibitions

2020 - ‘PACE’ – Herzliya Municipal Gallery, Artists House, Herzliya, Israel

2017 - Garden Installation - Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel

Contact Information

Email: leeftanya@gmail.com