Tidhar “Tidi” Ozeri is an Israeli-born metal artist now living in Tucson. His work includes sculpture, fountains, ornamental gates and structures, jewelry design, Judaica and objets d’art. His one-of-a-kind pieces range from bottle openers to solar-powered garden art.

 

Born in Jerusalem, Tidhar worked as a leather crafter before studying Industrial Design at the Institute of Technological Studies in Holon, Israel in 1990. After his first year, he transferred to the internationally acclaimed Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem, where he continued his studies in Industrial Design for two years. During that time, he discovered greater creative satisfaction working with metals, and switched departments, completing his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jewelry Design and Metalwork in 1996. His final project – a stainless steel coffee grinder using ball bearings and centrifugal force – earned him the Hedwig and Sigmund Samuel Award for Best Interdepartmental Project and the Lockman Award for Best Applied Design.

 

Following graduation, Tidhar focused on art education, teaching both children and adults in a variety of educational settings. During his last year in Israel, he taught jewelry design at the Art Institute of Old Jaffa. Although art education remained his main source of income, Tidhar also created custom pieces, including wedding rings and sculpture.

 

In 2002, Tidhar’s three-ring set “Half of a Duplex” was featured in the group exhibit Israeli Jewelry II: Chain Reaction, at the prestigious Land of Israel Museum in Tel Aviv.

 

Tidhar moved to Tucson in the fall of 2002. For a year and a half, he honed his metal craft skills at The Painted Gecko studio. As an art educator, he led workshops at the Tucson Children’s Museum and the Tucson Hebrew Academy.

 

In April 2004, Tidhar founded Ozeri Metal Designs, where he specializes in creating unique, functional metal art, furniture, railings and entryways. His sculpture “Desert Crescent” was one of the solar-powered artworks in the Tucson Public Art Council’s first Luminarias del Pueblo public art project, 2004-2005.

 

Tidhar’s commissioned works for non-profit organizations include a series of charity collection boxes for the Jewish Community Foundation of Southern Arizona and an environmental sculpture for the Tucson Hebrew Academy’s memorial garden.