Ted Barr was born in Constance Romania, on the shores of the Black Sea. At the age of four, his family immigrated to Israel. In 1975 Barr was drafted into the Israeli army, in which he served as a regular soldier, officer, and reservist for twenty-six years. In 1992 Barr graduated from Israeli Battalion Commanders' Academy and served as a deputy battalion commander with the rank of a Major.
In 1980, after release from his conscripted army service, Barr began a seven-year period of study in his fields of interest: Symbolism, Buddhism, Ancient Egypt, Numerology, and Kabbala and then went on to earn an M.B.A degree in marketing from the Tel Aviv University, graduating in 1990.
In 1995 Barr started seven years of private art lessons under the Israeli master Shlomo Tzafrir in Old Jaffa where his first exhibition opened to the public in 2001.
The leading concepts in Barr's art are deep space and celestial elements, the beginnings of life, embryos, ovum, and the development of the embryo in the womb, inspired by the images of the Swedish photographer Lennart Nilsson.
Barr does not sign his name on his canvasses. Instead, he developed a private symbol that encapsulates his esoteric studies experience and represents his life philosophy written in his FLY book.
Barr has since exhibited his works in New York, Montreal, Palo Alto, Perugia, Guadalajara, Detroit, Chianciano Terme, Cannes, Miami, Toronto, Venice, Kathmandu, Jaipur, Udaipur, Berlin, Mumbai, Dallas, Delhi, and Paris. A full list of art shows appears on his website - www.tedbarrart.com
Barr wrote several books:
‘Krombie’, a children's book published by Shalgi PH, 1990
‘Frau Gruber's Farm’, an allegory about the Hitler regime, published by Tamuz PH in Hebrew, 2006, English version, 2011
'LTC Insurance', published by Bursi PH, 2009
'FLY- Have magic in your life', published by contento PH, 2017
In October 2008 Barr founded the Current Art Group, an international artist gathering, with over 7000 members worldwide.
Since 2009 Barr curates art shows for The Current Art Group in Miami, NYC, Paris, Venice, and Tel Aviv and leads the FLY workshops where he teaches his FLY (Free the Life within You) technique he developed and uses in his artworks.
Since 2014 Barr collaborates with architects and designers implementing his art in various industries like:
Architecture – with V5 Architects Firm, and the architect Benjamin Perry in charge, art on buildings, Jerusalem, Israel
Fashion - Label 2 Fashion House, Milano Italy
Cars - Ferrari cars, Boca Raton Florida
Furniture - Alex Padwa Design Studio, Tel Aviv, Israel
Romil Dhakar - Casa Arte, Udaipur, India
Raphael Grimberg Costa – Sao Paolo, Brasil
Kitchens and home decor - Yafit Riklin-Tifa, Haifa, Israel
Carpets - Bhadohi carpets, Bhadohi, India
Accessories – Mabood International, Varanasi, India
Starting from 2016 Barr developed targeted FLY workshops for schools, enhancing creativity and authentic self-expression, he works closely with educational plans in schools, art academies, and universities in Delhi, London, and Jerusalem.