The Howard Avenue Arts Incubator

I'd like to take a moment to introduce you to a new undertaking of Gary's that may be of interest to any of you who are local.  Gary is leading an effort to create an arts community here in Kensington, MD.  By creating the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator, he hopes to foster creative works and community, using art as a catalyst for even more.  There are a lot of interesting prospects with this project and I invite you to take a look at the website and add your name to the email list there.  The plan is to have a kick-off festival December 12th, 2010.

In preparation, there has been a lot of renovation going on at the studio as the downstairs gets a makeover and the newly acquired area upstairs is being rebuilt into a gallery.

This wall is soon to be history.

The wall is gone, as is a good portion of the old floor.

You can't really see them in this picture, but in addition to the new purple tiled floor, we built a couple of great walk-in closets that will really help to declutter!

The newly redone kitchen area is sure to get a lot of use!

Headed up stairs.  Once it's refinished, this wall above the landing will be a great place to display artwork!

Welcome to the third floor.

It's still very much under construction, but you can see that this can become a really great gallery space.  A few of Gary's larger pieces were set up as examples for a meeting this past weekend and we had a local artist in to symbolically hang the first artwork on the wall. 

If you're interested in getting involved in classes or gallery exhibitions, or to learn more about all the cool ideas Gary has for this project, give us a call at 301.493.5577!

500 Judaica

For all who are fans of Gary Rosenthal's work, as well as Judaica, check out Lark's newest book in their 500 series - 500 Judaica available now.  In addition to being a really cool book filled with other talented artists, check out pages 57 and 58 37 and 38 to see work from Gary!

Press Release

A wonderful press release describing Gary's work with autistic employees, as well as describing a number of other special projects Gary has on the table, written by Risa Borsykowsky of Jewish Gift Place has just been put up here at PR Web. It's a great piece and I suggest you check it out!

Hiddur Mitzvah in the News

This is a little old, but it somehow slipped past my attention until now.

Via The Atlanta Jewish Times Online

11/27/2008 8:32:00 AM

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Participants order Judaica items from the Gary Rosenthal Collection, such as a menorah, tzedakah box or dreidel. They use special Hiddur Mitzvah kits to design their own fused glass patterns. The designs are sent to the studio, where they are fired and added to the modern metal items – each one as unique as its creator. Congregation Beth Shalom members Rene Montaigne and Leslie Lopp design fused glass for artistic Judaica as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Project. COVER: Building Community Through Art Jody Steinberg Special to the Jewish Times Congregation Beth Shalom members Rene Montaigne and Leslie Lopp designed fused glass for artistic Judaica as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Project, a popular community project sponsored by the Beth Shalom Sisterhood. The glass will be fused and mounted on metal Judaica items designed by the Gary Rosenthal Collection. "My brother is very hard to buy gifts for," said Montaigne, "but he liked the Tzedakah box I made him at the last Hiddur Mitzvah project so much that I'm making one for the other brother." The Hiddur Mitzvah project has been a popular program at Beth Shalom, because members love coming together to be creative. The items make unique gifts or become special family keepsakes, according to Andrea Rosenbloom, who organized the event with Marcia Moneit. "The Hiddur Mitzvah Fund has worked with tens of thousands of people around the world who use art with mitzvah," explains Judaica artist Gary Rosenthal, who founded Hiddur Mitzvah. "It's a beautiful mitzvah to make Judaica - one of 613 commandments is to make beautiful ritual. People connect with each other and help other communities; the art project becomes a catalyst for mitzvot." Rosenthal founded the Hiddur Mitzvah Foundation about eight years ago as a tool to build community around creating art and turning it into a mitzvah project. Profits from the sales of the kits fund programs around the world. For example, Rosenthal sponsored the first organized Jewish community event in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. Residents came together and created over 500 donated menorahs and dreidels in what's been described as "the calm after the storm - a chance to relax among community and create something beautiful to replace so much that was lost." The program was such a success that Hiddur Mitzvah returned in the spring with donated mezuzot, and ultimately helped found the New Orleans Jewish Music Festival. In other Hiddur Mitzvah projects, grandchildren of Holocaust survivors created two items each - one to keep, and one for Hiddur Mitzvah to deliver to survivors in diminishing Jewish communities in Poland and Russia. Hiddur Mitzvah has also sponsored Purim in Uganda and Shabbat dinner in Argentina. A group in Maryland created fused glass art to commemorate Kristallnacht.

New Order Form

For all of our stores, good news! Our newly updated order form is available in the retailers section of the website. This order form has been newly revised and organized, including every item we currently carry as well as their prices and sizing. If you're a retail customer, you can hop on over to thefriendsofgary.com to access a list of our suggested retail prices, then head over here to find a store in your area!

Jewish Gift Place Celebrates Two Years of Selling Judaica

One of our larger online stores, Jewishgiftplace.com is celebrating two years of successful business. You can read all about the site and it's founder, Risa Borsykowsky, in the following press release. We're always glad to hear that stores who sell our work are doing well!

Official press release via PR Web

In the News Again

I just came across this article in the Jewish Herald-Voice in Texas. From the article:

"On this occasion, Schepps will be presented with the State of Israel Tree of Life Award and Lt. Oren, together with Asher Yarden, consul general of Israel to the Southwest United States, will present the State of Israel Chai Award, a beautiful sculpture by renowned artist Gary Rosenthal, to the 2009 members of the State of Israel Bonds Honor Societies, who made pace-setting investments in State of Israel Bonds in 2008."



We're happy to be able to be a part in an event like this.

The Trailer

Yesterday marked the arrival of our new trailer. We're going to be moving out of the inconvenient shed at our old building and moving the operations of shellacking, stone breaking, and storage into this nifty portable office. It might look a little wobbly on those blocks but it's pretty sturdy and Bill will soon be adding some beam supports to make sure it doesn't go anywhere. Beth wasn't here when it was delivered and her face was priceless as she pulled up the driveway this morning. It's not every day that a giant office appears in the middle of your driveway!

TheFriendsOfGary.com

Announcing the official page devoted to all you friends of Gary Rosenthal! TheFriendsOfGary.com. Here you can find all the information you need in one place. There are links to our current scholarship opportunities, information about making a menorah for the White House, a list of suggested retail prices, a quick bio about Gary and more! Check it out, let me know what you think, and let me know if there is anything else you would like to see there.

Modern Jewish Mom - Passover Special

If you have access to the Jewish Channel you may have seen an interview with Gary on the Modern Jewish Mom Passover Special - or you may see it in the near future, I am unsure of when the air date of the show is. Among other interesting things they talk about in the episode, there is a segment about how a unique and artistic Seder plate can become a great centerpiece, featuring an interview with Gary at the New York gift show. We have a copy of the show on DVD and I'm hoping to get permission to post the Gary Rosenthal segment here for all of your viewing pleasure. In the meantime, happy Passover wishes from all of us at The GRC!

The American Craftworks Collection - Featured Artist

From the American Craftworks Collection newsletter:


American Craftworks' Scheduled Events

April 1 - April 30, 2009

Gary Rosenthal - Featured Artist

Maryland sculptor Gary Rosenthal is our featured artist in April. Gary specializes in Judaica handcrafted from mixed metals and fused glass. Gary has been sculpting for over 30 years. Combining copper, brass and steel with brilliantly colored fused glass, Gary has a contemporary style that is rooted in tradition. His work has been presented to Presidents from Carter to Clinton and to celebrities as varied as Bette Midler and John Travolta.

If you want to pay them a visit to see our work as well as the work of other accomplished artists, here is all the info you need:

American Craftworks Collection
189B Main Street • Annapolis, MD 21401 • 410-626-1583 Email:amcraftworks@aol.com http://www.americancraftworkscollection.com/

Our First Ever Open House.

The Gary Rosenthal Collection is getting ready to hold our first ever open house on May 17th. If you are part of a group who would be interested in a unique view of the studio, and easy fundraiser, and is in the DC area, we're interested in talking to you! If you are a part of a local sisterhood or day school, you may have already gotten one of our invitations in the mail, but I just wanted to add a note here about the event because it really is exciting and a win win win situation for all.

The way the open house will work is that there is a $10 cost per person to participate. That $10, though, will be paid in the form of a check to your organization as a way for you to easily raise some money for your cause. The guests will then get a $25 gift certificate to use on anything in stock while they are here, after being shown around the place by Gary.

For more details and availablity call 301.493.5577.

Make a Menorah for the President - UPDATE

I know it's been a little while since my last update. Things have slowed down a little here, at least concerning things that people outside the office would be interested in. But we're still cranking away at coming up with new and exciting projects and pieces of Judaica. The last post I talked about some new scholastic opportunities that we are just now making available and we've already gotten responses from interested people like you. One of the projects was the opportunity to help make a menorah that will be presented to President Obama. I can now share with you the prototype of this piece. The sixteen glass triangles in the center will be created by sixteen different groups across the country and then assembled into the final piece. If you are intersted in getting involved as one of these groups, don't hesitate to contact us here! We are still working out details on participation, but we are hoping to make it a free or nearly free event for those involved. I also have a picture of the menorah's smaller counterpart, a replica of the larger piece that will be made available for purchase to the public.

New Scholastic Opportunities From The Gary Rosenthal Collection

We have had a lot of new ideas brewing here at the GRC offices and I can finally tell you all about some of them. I'm not going to go into detail here, but if you want to know how you can help make a menorah for the White House, enter a Tzedakah essay scholarship contest, or apply for some unique and exciting art Tzedakah grants, click right on the Tzedakah Burger!

Spring 2009 online Catalog

The new items for Spring 2009 have been finalized and made official. Hop on over to the New Items section of the main site to view all 17 new pieces!

Another Show

The second show of the season, The Buyers Market of Arts and Crafts in Philadelphia, is just a couple days away, running the 13-17. The Gary Rosenthal Collection will be one of the 1,300 exhibitors showing their work this year. If you are a buyer and plan on attending, be sure to stop by our booth, #2104. Even if you were at the New York show, we'd still love to see you, and we have some exciting new ideas to show off, including our brand new wall mounted Tzedakah boxes. I will be there with Gary Sunday evening and Monday afternoon to help out and hope to get some nice pictures of the event to share with you all. I would also like to apologize for those of you who have been having difficulty accessing parts of our website. We're aware of the problem and hope to have it resolved by the end of the week.

The New York Gift Show

Well, Gary is back from the New York Gift Show. It was a slower show this year due to current economic conditions but thankfully it was still fairly successful on our part. Most of the new work got a good reception, especially the new pyramid seder plate matzah combo. Other items are now going into the final revision stages and should be coming out shortly looking better than ever. For all fans of Gary's work, keep an eye out at your favorite Judaica store for the new pieces and if you don't find what you're looking for be sure to tell them that you are interested in seeing Gary's new work! Innovation is the name of the game and this is just the beginning of some exciting new ideas. 2009 is going to be a fun year!

Keep Your Eyes Open!

This past week the studio has been abuzz with activity in preparation for the New York Gift Show. New products are getting finishing touches, boxes are being packed, and photo shoots are being completed. Gary leaves tomorrow for the show with a load of beautiful new pieces - pieces that you will be able to preview here on the official blog very shortly! So keep you eyes peeled for the next update, I promise it will be worth the wait.

December Update

We've all been busy here with the holidays almost on us, but busy is good! There hasn't been anything particularly interesting recently for me to write to you about. Things have been well at the studio. Greta and Hamilton did celebrate their December birthdays which was a nice change of pace. I will have to track down some photos of that day and get them up here for you. We also have our annual holiday party coming up soon which is sure to be fun. I would also like to report that there is an interesting new collection of sculpture in the works and I hope to be able to share more about those pieces with you soon! So for now this entry will have to serve as a "good things to come," placeholder until I have more exciting things to report. Never fear, excitement is surely on its way!

Gary Rosenthal In The News Again

I found this article on http://www.stltoday.com/. Mentions of the GRC are highlighted below:

Hanukkah decorations: Menorahs, dreidels brighten homes

Hanukkah decorations: Menorahs, dreidels brighten homesBlue coaster set features a dazzling design by Sudha embellished with semiprecious stones ($35) at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac. - Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game. This deep blue dreidel ($75) at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop is designed by Gary Rosenthal. A variety of other styles, colors and sizes are available ($70 to $117). - Serve your favorite appetizer in this small glass serving dish ($20) at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona, 324 South Mason Road. - Handmade multicolor glass artwork menorah with gold candle holders ($150) by Murano Traditions at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona. - Fused-glass menorah ($162, in foreground) by Beames Designs at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop, 13788 Conway Road. (Max Ghersh/P-D)

WRITTEN BY KAREN DEERST.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
11/29/2008

Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, begins this year at sundown Dec. 21.

The holiday is celebrated on eight successive nights by lighting a nine-branched candelabra called a menorah. During the festivities, children play with a spinning top called a dreidel. These items can be colorful and are offered in various styles, and they help brighten the home.

Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish Maccabees' military victory over the Greek-Syrians more than 2,000 years ago and the rededication of the Second Temple, which had been desecrated by the Greek-Syrians, to the worship of God.

Celebrating Hanukkah — Blue coaster set features a dazzling design by Sudha embellished with semiprecious stones ($35) at Neiman Marcus, Plaza Frontenac. — Playing with the dreidel is a traditional Hanukkah game. This deep blue dreidel ($75) at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop is designed by Gary Rosenthal. A variety of other styles, colors and sizes are available ($70 to $117). — Serve your favorite appetizer in this small glass serving dish ($20) at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona, 324 South Mason Road. — Handmade multicolor glass artwork menorah with gold candle holders ($150) by Murano Traditions at The Judaica Shop at Congregation B'nai Amoona. — Fused-glass menorah ($162, in foreground) by Beames Designs at United Hebrew Congregation Gift Shop, 13788 Conway Road.

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Celebrate Hanukkah at the Missouri Botanical Garden

WHAT — Chanukah: Festival of Lights

WHEN — Noon to 4 p.m. Dec. 21

WHERE — Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard

COST — Included with Garden admission

More information — www.mobot.org or 314-577-9400