Itella Mastbaum was born in Moscow, USSR.
Graduated from Applied Art Department, Moscow Textile Institute (Moscow, USSR, 1962),
Courses of Stage Design for TV, Theater, Cinema (Moscow, USSR, 1969),
Computer Graphic Courses (Jerusalem, Israel, 1991).
Repatriated to Israel in 1990.
Member of Israeli Artists Union. Member of International Union of Artists.
Her artwork can be found in collections in Israel, USA, Russia, European and South American countries, Japan, South Africa.
Itella Mastbaum:
“I was born in Moscow and lived there for many years. I used to travel widely in the ex-USSR bringing home landscapes, sketches, outlines. My first trip abroad was in 1989, to Israel, where I participated in a group exhibition, with such distinguished neighbors as R.Falk, A.Kaplan, and others. My first Israeli solo exhibition was also in 1989. Since 1990 my family lives in Israel, in a picturesque mountain area, near Jerusalem. During this period I had several exhibitions both in Israel and abroad. My works can be found in many collections all over the world. I always wanted to master various techniques: oil, distemper, water colors; I tried stage design, animated cartoons, graphics, illustrations for books and periodicals, ceramics; in Israel I did several murals. Renaissance artists used to work in various areas – from murals to small articles of applied art - since the laws of harmony are universal.
In each of my works I attempt to reveal the emotional world of people, nature, things. I wish my works to speak to audience, in the same way as works of old masters speak to me in museums. And I am happy when I succeed in achieving it."
Professor G.Ostrovsky, DA:
“Stage design, animated cartoons, graphics, book illustrations, murals - these are the facets of I. Mastbaum’s creative activity. To merge into a whole the contemporary viewpoint and reconsidered historical reminiscences derived from the stocks of classical heritage is not an easy task, but I. Mastbaum succeeded, and at a very distinguishing professional level.”
L.Latt, The Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia:
“Nowadays, when one is tired of all modernistic and post-modernistic trends, I. Mastbaum’s artwork, full of spirituality, can countervail to the nightmare of commercial art, bringing both a man and nature back to painting.”
M. Gimain, an Israeli artist:
“I. Mastbaum as if with the help of a certain time machine penetrates into the state of mind of Old Masters and re-creates the atmosphere of Dutch still lives. By no means it is an imitation, ersatz, or counterfeit. This is the re-creation of the spirit. Besides, the artistry and virtuosity – the skills which seem to be lost by some Western artists – make her artwork especially significant.”
D. Dubinchik, a Russian art teacher and artist:
“One can trace in I. Mastbaum’s works the aspiration to be understood. She neither strives to be appreciated nor fawns upon the public. She got her own voice. As a fellow artist, I’d like to emphasize the color scheme of her works, which is one of her obvious merits. And especially attractive is the musical tune of her works. In the boundless ocean of music she keenly seizes national melodies.”
