Some Photos of Gary

Remember the Maryland Life article?  Cory Donovan, who took the photographs for the article, has some more photos from the shoot up on his blog.  Check them out to see some great pictures of Gary!

The Jackson Sun: Dreidel: This Toy Stands the Test of Time

The Jackson Sun has a great article about the history of the Dreidel and mentions Gary's work specifically.

David Cohen shares his collection of dreidels in preparation for Hanukkah. / AARON HARDIN/The Jackson Sun

Dreidels, like menorahs, can be considered works of art. Collectors can find dreidels made to look like carousels, ballerinas, musical instruments and other items. Children can get dreidels to match their interests or hobbies.

"I have a Gary Rosenthal dreidel," Cohen said. "Rosenthal is a highly recognized artist who works in metals. I have one of his dreidels. It's not meant to be used, but enjoyed as a work of art."

Mezuzahs, Mitzvahs & Magic (December KOL Temple B'nai Shalom)

Just came across this wonderful writeup about one of Gary's Hiddur Mitzvah Projects.  I don't think we've ever had a negative response to the program, but it's great to see an especially positive reaction like this.  The program really is great and we are glad to be able to offer it to people like these post-confirmation students.

Mon, December 5, 2011

Sometimes a project or a class goes just perfectly, it is everything you hoped and planned it would be, and it feels almost magical.  And so it was at Post-Confirmation on November 20.  Every year we receive a grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, and over the years we have used it for incredible projects and improvements to our Religious School, including our Jewish movie library, our Confirmation/Post-Confirmation trip to New York, and our curriculum writing project.  As we applied for the grant for this year, I knew I wanted to do a project with Jewish artist Gary Rosenthal, and so we decided to bring him in to speak with our Post-Confirmation students and to work with them to make mezuzot for their dorm rooms as they go off to college.
The class was amazing!  I am often weary of meeting authors or musicians or artists whose work I really enjoy for fear they will not be who I hoped they would be, and then I am not able to enjoy their work as much.  I have always loved Gary Rosenthal’s work and I can tell you he is who I hoped he would be and more!  He is a true mensch!  He spoke to our students about why he chose to be an artist and how he became a Jewish artist.  He told them how he uses his art to enable him to do mitzvot and live his Jewish values.  And he encouraged them to find their passion and use it to leave the world better than they found it.
After speaking to our students, Gary helped them to create a glass mosaic which will be placed into a metal mezuzah casing that he made.  I was so impressed by the effort and care all our students put into their pieces.  They were all as unique and beautiful as the people who made them.  In addition we were able to make a few extra mezuzot to auction off at our next temple fundraiser, and Gary has also agreed to donate a piece for the auction as well!
Sometimes a project or a class goes just perfectly, it is everything you hoped and planned it would be, and it feels almost magical.  And so it was at Post-Confirmation on November 20.  Here’s to many more magical moments!

B’Shalom,
Rabbi Nyer

Magical Menorahs - Maryland Life Magazine Article

Maryland Life Magazine has a wonderful article about Gary and the studio in their most recent issue:

The menorahs in Gary Rosenthal’s Judaica-filled studio are a feast for the eyes. Intricate curls of copper and brass twist like branches around triangles of mosaic glass. The metal sprouts into flowers, leaves, and even a treble clef as it winds its way up the candelabrum. On one piece, two copper snakes wrap their way up the base, forming a caduceus.

These aren't your bubbe’s menorahs.
“When I started 35 years ago, there was just no such thing as contemporary Jewish art,” Rosenthal explains while leading me on a tour of his Kensington studio. “So I told myself, ‘I'll create Jewish art, but also a true piece of art.’”

Today, the effort, which Rosenthal summarizes as “contemporary style rooted in tradition,” has bloomed into a thriving business. Located in the Howard Avenue Antiques District, his studio is a two-floor operation where a dozen or so artisans buzz in a flurry of design, glass cutting, and welding.

Check out the full article for more!

Gary Rosenthal Collection Named CSAAC Employer of the Year

We at the Gary Rosenthal Collection are privileged to have the opportunity to work with CSAAC (Community Services for Autistic Adults and Children).  We currently employ two individuals with autism, Tim and John, who excel at every task they are responsible for here.  Their service is invaluable and they have directly contributed in the manufacturing of our very popular collection of woven Judaica.

We were recently honored to be named Employer of the Year for CSAAC and took the opportunity to get a group photo of the full GRC crew, including Tim and John.  Tim is holding the award plaque and John is on the far right of the photo.

In the photos below, Tim is working on packaging glasses he has dyed that will be part of a Jewish wedding ceremony while John weaves copper strips that will become mezuzot like the one pictured.

 

Stamford Jewish Arts & Film Festival

Those of you in Connecticut may be aware that Gary's work is currently on display at the Stamford JCC as part of the Jewish Arts & Film Festival of Fairfield County.  If you haven't gotten there yet, you still have a few more days as they festival continues through November 13th.

The Jewish Ledger has a wonderful article about Gary and his work, in conjunction with the festival.

Rosenthal may be among the most recognized Judaica artists working today. His tzedakah boxes and menorahs have been presented to Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Bush pater, and to celebrities Bette Midler, John Travolta, Tony Randall, and Itzhak Perlman.
But it is his community involvement and tikkun olam that he hopes to be remembered for. Since 2004, he has focused on turning his business into what he has called “a community-service machine based on art.”
“I’ve always been interested in tikkun olam, since I was in college,” Rosenthal says. “I think of myself as a social activist who happens to be a sculptor. I feel lucky that, as my art developed and I developed a following and started to earn a living from selling my art, it gave me a platform for the social activism.”

Check out the full article here!

The Past Couple Months

I realize it has been a little while since you've heard from us here and I wanted to make sure you didn't think we'd gone away!  Though the past couple months have been busy for us, we haven't necessarily been busy with things other people would find all that interesting.  Mostly we have been busy gearing up production to be ready for the Hanukkah rush which is now upon us!

October was National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we once again had a good number of participants hold Glass Ribbon Projects which is wonderful!  If you haven't heard about our program you should really check it out.  It is a FREE community arts project that benefits those with breast cancer and we have heard from numerous participants that it really is a very meaningful as well as enjoyable experience.  It doesn't have to be October for you to plan an activity - it could make a wonderful Hanukkah program or Mother's Day idea as well!

As I said, and you are probably fully aware, the Hanukkah rush has already started.  With that in mind, we've made available a great selection of one-of-a-kind items and discontinued items at great prices.  Whether you're looking to stock your shelves with unique items, or find a perfect gift for that certain someone, check out our Hanukkah Super Sale - quantities are limited (many are truly one-of-a-kind items) and going fast!

Finally, a bit of sad news.  One of our top notch designers, Ned, has decided to move on and take another job elsewhere.  She brought a lot of great ideas to the team and helped design some of our most popular new items.  If you have seen any of our pieces with embossed copper or puzzle glass (our new best selling A53 has both), you have seen her work.  She will be missed but we are busy finding others who can fill her shoes and add even more great ideas to the team.

As always, don't hesitate to contact us with any questions, comments, or ideas - we're always glad to talk!

Happy to be of Service

 We are regularly asked to create custom commission pieces such as Tzedakah boxes for Synagogues, or Mezuzot for sanctuary doors.  We're always glad to hear back from the recipients of these special items, especially when they are as positive as this:

I just wanted to let you know that I received the box and it is just AMAZING!!!  Absolutely BEAUTIFUL!!  We are so happy with the finished product! I am so excited for the kids to see it this Friday when we are going to have them present it to the Temple Brith Achim congregation during the Religious School Welcome Back service!  Your work is absolutely beautiful and we are proud to be giving this gift to the congregation from our confirmation class.  We have a terrific, visible place picked out for it in a niche next to the sanctuary doors.  Thanks for everything and it was a pleasure working with you!!

Do you need any custom artwork?  Check out a few of the things we have done in the past and let us know what we can do for you!

Catalog

Just a quick update - the new catalog is at the printer's but you can view it online before it hits the streets later this month!

New Work NYIGF Summer 2011

We're gearing up for new Fall/Winter catalog and Gary's just finishing up a great show in New York where he's been showing off a slew of new work.  Everything's online now and all the new work is here for your viewing pleasure.  Here are a just a few photos to give you a taste:

Travel Sabbath Candlesticks - A Web Exclusive!

Soon to be featured in the upcoming issues of B'nai B'rith and Hadassah Magazines, we're giving our online friends the first look at this web exclusive item.  Let us know what you think, and click here if you want to purchase!

Hope - Survival - Renewal: Calling all Photographers!

If you follow some of Gary's other projects, you know that he has started the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator - a gallery and resource for artists located above the studio.  We have been working on getting ready for some photography competitions, and now I can tell you that we are finally ready to start accepting applications!  We've been hard at work to plan out this series to ensure it is going to be a fantastic event.

Three of the strongest and most positive forces to be presented in a series of exhibitions at the Howard Avenue Arts Incubator Gallery.  We invite professional and amateur photographers to submit images to one, two, or all three of this powerful series.

Awards include cash, and publication in a commemorative anthology of the three shows.

Visit http://artincubator.org/competitions.html for full details!

Giveaway!

Update:
Congrats to Richard H.of Winston Salem, NC, the winner of this menorah giveaway!

If you're reading this blog you obviously enjoy the Gary Rosenthal Collection's work, and if you're like most people, you enjoy getting something for free.  Therefore, to thank you for being fans, we've got a special menorah to give away today!  Not everything we make here ends up going into production, simply because we make way too many different pieces!  No need to just let those prototypes sit on the shelf though.

Here's a nice little menorah, perfect for a wedding gift.  It's not going to be put into productions so this one is truly one of a kind.

To win, simply leave a comment about what you think of the Gary Rosenthal Collection. Make sure to include your email so we can contact you if you win.

For some extra chances to win you can:
1.  "Like" of our facebook page
2.  Add your email to any of our newsletters
3.  Follow this blog through Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, or just add it to your RSS feed
4.  Share this post on
5.  Share this post of

Leave an additional comment here with each extra entry you complete.

The fine print:  Giveaway open to all residents of the 48 Contiguous United States and DC, 18 or older, excluding employees and immediate family of The Gary Rosenthal Collection.  One standard entry per person plus five optional entries.  ARV of prize $100.  Winner will be chosen using random.org on June 30, 2011.

New Commissions

Every now and then we get a request from someone to create something truly unique for them which always leads to something pretty cool.  I'd like to share a few we've done in recent months here at the studio.  If you are interested in a special piece like this don't hesitate to contact us.

This unique award displays the first five notes of Shema Yisrael.  The different colors denote sharps and flats.

This spectacular piece was designed by one of our studio designer's Ned Drummond and is currently on display in our upstairs gallery as part of the Hiddur Mitzvah Center.  This steel, brass, pressed copper and fused glass menorah stands an impressive five feet tall atop a stone base.

Also designed by Ned for the upstairs gallery is this set of artistic sculptures that each stand about 2.5 feet tall.  The center one which features a Hamsa has already been sold to someone who fell in love with it while visiting the gallery.

We received a request for a large yad with enough glass that all the students in a class could work on in a Hiddur Mitzvah Project.  Framed and hung with a commemorative plaque it makes a very special and personal teacher's gift.  They liked it so much that this will become an annual project for them!

Gary Rosenthal's Hiddur Mitzvah Center

I know this blog has been quiet lately, but that doesn't mean we've been doing nothing here.  In addition to the studio gearing up for wedding season - we've created a really cool new shards holder - this past month has also seen the launch of Gary's new Hiddur Mitzvah Center.  The Hiddur Mitzvah Center is the Jewish component that grew out of the Arts Incubator, making use of our gallery and facility with that operation.

Saturday May 7th was a lively arts Havdalah service with Rabbi David Shneyer followed by music, art, and conversation.  The art on the walls provided a great backdrop and those there really enjoyed themselves as Gary and others danced their way around the room.

Sunday May 8th began with an open house class activity.  Parents and students from Am Kolel in Beallsville went through the process of creating a sculpture out of raw material from start to finish, ending with custom piece of their own.  This is an activity that we hope to have regularly scheduled through the Hiddur Mitzvah Center.  If you are interested, give us a call at 301-493-5577 to plan out an activity.

That afternoon was the art gallery opening for group show featuring Katherine Janus Kahn, Ronny Tabeka, and Gary.  The day ended with Mother's Day Alternative Program - "Keep the light alive." Generations creating their own family heirloom Shabbat candlesticks together.

Sunday May 15th We hosted an Artisites Guild for Judaic Art group show.

For lots more photos check out our facebook page and keep an eye out for an article in the next issue of Washington Jewish Week!

Special Passover Items

With Passover coming up, we've dug deep into the back shelves and storage and searched through the designers' shelves.  We've come up with a selection of unique Passover items.  Some are Gary Rosenthal antiques that had been long forgotten, others were never put into production.  Whether they were discontinued to make room for new items or deemed to expensive or unique to put into production, these items are all special.  If you're looking for something really cool for this Passover, you're sure to find something here.  Some of the old items have a few minor imperfections and are sold as is, but you won't find any junk here!  Older Seder Plates that originally had glass cups will be sent with copper cups unless otherwise pictured as we no longer have glass cups.

 There are limited quantities of all these items and most of them are one of a kind, so get what you like before it's gone!

Wholesale accounts click here       Retail customers click here

New Matzah Seder Plate

Just in time for Passover, introducing a Seder Plate unlike anything you have ever seen before!  Made entirely out of matzah, not only does it look great, it is made from renewable resources!  Using vegetable based glues and ink, this plate is also completely edible, allowing it to be a fully integrated part of your Passover.  If this new piece is successful - and how could it not be - we plan to develop an entire line of edible Judaica.  Let us know your thoughts!

 Click the image for a large view.

Temple Emanuel Event

Sunday, March 13, 2011, we had about 25 people from Temple Emanuel right up the road come in as part of a sisterhood fundraiser. Each participant wrote out a check for $25 to be donated to Sharsheret in support of young Jewish women with breast cancer. In return, Gary showed them around the new Art Incubator gallery and the studio where they had the opportunity to create Hiddur Mitzvah or Glass Ribbon items and purchase anything off the shelves for a matched $25 discount. It was a wonderful time for everyone involved!

More Photos

Hiddur Mitzvah Article in The New Standard

The New Standard, in central Ohio, just published a really nice front page article about Gary and the Hiddur Mitzvah Project that's worth a read:

“After the Holocaust some people were
afraid to show Judaica. My mission was
to create beautiful Jewish art. I wanted to
make beautiful bright color mezuzahs. I
wanted Judaic art objects that people could
display year round. I always tried to mix
function with the aesthetics of the form,”

 Read the whole thing here.

Our Guarantee

We stand by our work and will repair or replace any damaged item for life.  Simply send in the broken piece with this form and we'll take care of it.  We  know that our items often become important heirlooms and we're glad to help keep them around for generations to come.  Here's a nice note we just got from someone whose mezuzah we were able to fix for her:

We have just received the mezzuzah that I sent to you to be repaired.  Thank you so much.  I can't wait to give it back to my son and daughter-in-law because it meant so much to them. 
With best wishes for your continued success. 
Helene Chinowsky

Spring Work Preview

Gary just got back from the New York gift show where he introduced a number of new pieces, including a new style of bookend replacing the copper scroll style.  The studio, in the meantime, lost power for a few days due to the snow storm.  Now that we've been  up and running for a few days I've had time to get all the photos edited and sorted out to give you a taste of what we've been up to.  Based on the feedback from the show, some of these pieces may change between now and when they are put into production, and some may not even make it that far.  We've also got some more new work that will be ready in the next couple weeks in time for the Philly show.  that said, enjoy this small preview, and to see all of the new work you can view this facebook photo album.

Baltimore Jewish Times Article

Baltimore Jewish Times iNSIDER just posted a feature on "A Colorful Shabbat Table," and included our SC3 candlesticks among their recommendations:

Original article.

Dickinson College

Check out the cover of the most recent issue of Dickinson Magazine!