Born in 1939 in Fez, Morocco, Amram Ebgi is an Israeli/American printmaker, painter and sculptor.
Ebgi has been bringing the deeply symbolic and beloved images of his rich Jewish Heritage to life using intricate detail and bright colors. His intricately detailed masterpieces are bursting with the colors of life, imbued with a joyous passion that radiates out from every image.
He has works permanently displayed in Princeton and UCLA and has been commissioned by UNICEF.

Education
1969 Scholarship to Brooklyn Museum Art School.
School of Advanced painting, Tel Aviv
Avni Institute, Tel Aviv
Tel Hai College
Pratt Graphic Center for Contemporary Print-making, New York.

Amram Ebgi immigrated to Israel from Morocco early in life under the auspices of Kibbutz Kfar Blum.
He received his early art training in Israel at the Tel-Hai Institute, the Avni Institute and the School of Advance Painting in Tel Aviv studied under both Yehezkel Streichman and Aharon Giladi. As painter and graphic artist, Amram also served as the official state-designer for the Organization Kibbutzim in Israel.
In 1969 Amram came to the United States as a recipient of a scholarship to the Brooklyn Museum of Art in New York.
He developed his dedication to the graphic arts at Pratt Graphic Center for Contemporary printmaking. In artwork that is dedicated to a culture that has long endured struggles and pain, Ebgi, the Optimist, prefers to reflect harmony, balance and joy in a simplified, decorative stylized execution - lighthearted, in a universal language and one of the artist's own personal vision.
Ebgi does not consider his work to be of a "religious man," but rather as being representative of Judaism. Almost every work incorporates the cherished symbol of the bird, symbolizing Israel's Freedom.
Other symbols which radiate from his work include vineyards, menorahs, men in taleisim, Noah's Ark, doves and flora. An average work takes two months to create, with some being composed of as many as 60 separate elements or pieces. Yet, the work, when finished, is like a masterful symphony orchestrated by a perfect team of musicians, a meticulous shimmering blend of design and color.
The versatile artist also works in many other mediums including oils, watercolor, stained glass, ceramic, woodcarving and more.
Ebgi's etchings have been featured on the cover of the Washington Post, World of Art, Israel, The Miami Herald and Decor Magazine, as well as holiday cards published by UNICEF and Hallmark. His work has found its way into the hearts and homes of numerous collectors including President George Bush.
Ebgi has been called a visionary whose imagination combines warmth, sensitivity and light and gives the complexities of life a subtle structure. And if art has the power to bring smiles of joy to individuals and peace amongst nations then Ebgi is the man who can accomplish that great task.

Additional Information:

Amram Ebgi, an artist, craftsman, and master printmaker, was born on July 16, 1939, in Fez, Morocco. He began his artistic career early, with his work deeply shaped by Jewish cultural influences that came together to define his distinctive style.

Amram's early years in Fez were deeply influenced by his life with Sephardic Haredim parents. They strictly followed Jewish traditions, and the community as a whole was committed to spending considerable time praying and studying the Torah. The majority of the Jewish community in Fez were descendents of Spanish Jews who had settled there after fleeing Spain in the 15th century.

When he was a child, as Amram recounts, his father would beat him for missing study sessions or refusing to pray. Therefore, it was with profound relief and anticipation that he seized the opportunity to leave his parents and begin a new life in Israel at the age of 12.

In 1951, Amram's move to Israel was facilitated by the international Youth Aliyah, a peace organization founded during the Holocaust with the mission of rescuing Jewish youth from the atrocities of the era. Post-Holocaust, the organization expanded its reach into North Africa to aid Jewish children like Ebgi in Morocco, who were given opportunities for a life in the recently established state of Israel.

Amram discovered his new home in Kfar Blum, a kibbutz located in Israel's Upper Galilee close to the Lebanese border. At the kibbutz, he deeply engaged with the community, pursued Jewish studies, and learned both Hebrew and English.

From a young age, Ebgi's artistic fervor was sparked as he began drawing solely for his personal pleasure. Amram began his art career officially in 1954 when he was 15 years old. Thanks to a scholarship1, he was able to spend time at the Avni Institute, where he studied under Yehezkel Streichman. Later, Amram studied ceramics under Aharon Giladi. Back at the kibbutz, he arranged for funding to establish an art studio where he dedicated his time. His first solo exhibition took place in Kiryat Shmona in 1961.

In the years that followed, Amram's parents, three sisters, and two brothers followed him to Israel, joining a significant wave of Jewish emigration from Morocco. Not long after, American visitors associated with the Brooklyn Museum, visiting Kfar Blum, discovered Ebgi's talents. They helped facilitate his relocation to America to nurture his talent, and in 1969, Ebgi made the move to New York City.

However, before moving to America, his artistic journey hit a brief pause when he became involved in the1967 Arab-Israeli War, serving as a paratrooper, receiving multiple commendations, and sustaining injuries in combat.

Upon arriving in New York City, Ebgi utilized his connections at the Brooklyn Museum to establish a base and further refine his craft. Later, he dedicated his time at the Pratt Graphics Center, a former workshop and artist hub associated with Pratt Institute, specializing in traditional printing techniques. The center, previously located at831 Broadway in New York City, closed in 1986.

At the Pratt Graphics Center, Ebgi participated in the printmaking community and honed his early techniques in intaglio printmaking, a method that particularly captured his interest and affection.

Ebgi primarily employed the etching technique, which involves using an acid bath to create grooves on the exposed areas of a copper plate's surface. Additionally, he produced prints using the intaglio relief method, where ink is applied to the raised portions of a plate. Over his career, he crafted hundreds of intricate copper plates using these methods. Pace Prints, which is not affiliated, offers a comprehensive glossary of printmaking techniques.

Ebgi quickly commercialized his education by setting up a studio in his Queens apartment on Metropolitan Avenue, equipped with an etching press for producing works for sale. As his business grew, he invited his youngest brother from Israel to help with the printing process. However, the collaboration did not last long, and Ebgi soon returned to working alone.

In the 1970s, Ebgi toured extensively, presenting his artwork at numerous art fairs and local Jewish Community Centers across the United States. In 1974, he married and established a base in Rockville, Maryland.

While in Rockville, Ebgi became known for hosting open houses where he displayed his artworks throughout his home and outdoors, selling to passersby on the street. He gained recognition in the Rockville art community, and multiple profiles of Amram and his work were featured in the local Rockville press.

In 1981, Ebgi made a significant move to Miami, Florida, where he established an art studio. He went on to achieve remarkable success, holding solo exhibitions across the USA and Israel. Amram's art was featured in various major exhibitions, including several apperances at New York Art Expo, now operating as Artexpo New York and South Florida's Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

By the late 1980s, Amram had amassed considerable wealth and constructed a large house on the shore of Sky Lake in North Miami Beach, Florida, where he also contributed to the design. The property was distinguished by its distinctive appearance: the exterior looked like a place of worship, while the interior was like a museum. The house was demolished in the early 2020s.

Ebgi's talent was acknowledged by prominent figures like Ehud Olmert, then Mayor of Jerusalem and President George H. W. Bush, then Vice President of the United States.

The exact count is unclear, but it's estimated that Ebgi's artworks, which probably exceed 100,000 individual sales including retail and resale, decorate living rooms throughout the world in the homes of both Jewish and non-Jewish families. His works sometimes appear in the background of well-known publications, including a 2023 New York Times profile of Dr. Ruth. In the primary photo of the article, two of Ebgi's artworks are visible above Dr. Ruth's left shoulder.

He was a meticulous technician, skillfully converting his ideas into paintings. Ebgi's legacy remains strong. His creations continue to be appreciated, with his vibrant and multifaceted prints resonating on both historical and modern levels. Undoubtedly, Ebgi offers a glimpse into a distinctive artistic vision that harmoniously blends Jewish traditions with innovative expression.