A Mixture of Naiveté and Bravado | Jonathan Wahl of the 92nd St. Y
In the 22nd episode of Perceived Value host Sarah Rachel Brown heads to NYC to interview the Director of Jewelry at the 92nd Street Y, Jonathan Wahl. Being that both Perceived Value and the 92nd Street Y are partners of NYC Jewelry Week, Sarah wanted to learn more about the world-class cultural and community center. The two artists sat down in the jewelry studio and discussed how Jonathan came to be the director of jewelry, how far a mixture of naiveté and bravado can get you, and what the 92nd Street Y has in store for the inaugural NYCJW.
Jonathan Wahl joined 92nd Street Y in July 1999 as director of the jewelry and metalsmithing program in 92Y's School of the Arts. He is responsible for developing and overseeing a curriculum that has more than 55 classes weekly and 15 visiting artists yearly, hiring and supervising 25 faculty members, maintaining four state-of-the-art jewelry and metalsmithing studios, and promoting the department locally and nationally as a jewelry resource center. Wahl founded the only Jewelry residency in New York city for a Jeweler and oversees an active lecture program with notables from the Jewelry and Design worlds at 92Y. Biennially he organizes international trips to visit contemporary jewelers and historical collections across the globe.
Named one of the top-10 jewelers to watch by W Jewelry in 2006, Mr. Wahl is an accomplished artist who, from 1994 to 1995, served as artist-in-residence at Hochschule Der Kunst in Berlin, Germany. He has exhibited his work most recently in the exhibitions New York Silver Then and Now, Museum of the City of New York, New York, NY, Parallels, Jonathan Wahl & Sondra Sherman, Lamar Dodge Gallery, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, Sentimental Ornamentation, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University, Reverse: rewriting culture, Dot Fifty-One, Miami, FL, with Sienna Gallery, The Pulse Art Fairs in NYC and numerous other fairs, exhibitions and venues
He has been awarded the Louis Comfort Tiffany Emerging Artist Fellowship from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, two New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowships one in Craft and one in Drawing in recognition of "Outstanding Artwork," and the Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths Award for "Outstanding Achievement." Part of the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston and the American Craft Museum. His work has been featured or reviewed in publications as diverse as the New York Times, Art in America, The New Yorker, Architectural Digest, Oprah Magazine, W Jewelry, Art Jewelry Forum, Metalsmith magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and the Advocate among others. Work can also be seen in 1,000 Rings and 500 Enameled objects both by Lark books. His drawings are represented by Sienna Patti Gallery. His Jewelry can be found at De Vera in NYC and Eagan Day in Philadelphia,
Before joining 92Y, Mr. Wahl was, first, director of the jewelry and metalsmithing department at the YMCA's Craft Students League, and later assistant director of the League itself. Mr. Wahl holds a BFA in jewelry and metalsmithing from Temple University's Tyler School of Art and an MFA in metalsmithing and fine arts from the State University of New York at New Paltz. He is a member of the Society of North America Goldsmiths. A history fanatic and avid gardener, when he's not at 92Y motivating his students he can be found in his studio in Brooklyn or in his garden.
See and learn more at: www.jonathanwahl.com
92nd Street Y History
For 140 years, 92nd Street Y has been serving its communities and the larger world by bringing people together and providing exceptional, groundbreaking programs in the performing and visual arts; literature and culture; adult and children’s education; talks on a huge range of topics; health and fitness; and Jewish life.
92nd Street Y Mission Statement
Founded 140 years ago to serve the Jewish people, 92nd Street Y promotes individual and family development and participation in civic life within the context of Jewish values and American pluralism.
As a nonprofit community and cultural center, 92nd Street Y seeks to create, provide and disseminate programs of distinction that foster the physical and mental health of human beings throughout their lives, their educational and spiritual growth and their enjoyment.
92nd Street Y reaches out beyond its core constituency of American Jews to serve people of diverse racial, religious, ethnic and economic backgrounds, seeking partnerships that leaven our programs and broaden our influence.
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