The Menorah Project
Coming out of the dark days of the pandemic with political reversals of the 2020 election, I made eight bronze menorahs for Hanukkah 2021(5782) to celebrate the Festival of Light. Although not traditional in form, each menorah stands alone as a sculpture and when illuminated, at Hanukkah, it transforms to a unique garden of intertwining figures. Each Menorah is uniquely formed and titled for 2021(5782), together, the combined lamps are the Wandering Menorahs. For this series the path to illumination is not a strait line.
“Forgiveness”. Wandering Menorah 15”x14”x9” unique bronze
I graduated with a BA in History from the University of Rochester in 1978 then went on to study sculpture and painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia. While at PAFA I met my wife, painter Linda Guenste, we were married in 1985 and have been together ever since. I’ve taught art at museums, community art schools and public and private institutions. My art is represented in the collections of PAFA Museum in Philadelphia, James Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, PA and at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, NJ. In 2015 we moved Santa Fe, NM. My great great grandfather settled in Santa Fe 1848 and along with his 5 siblings they opened the mercantile co. “The House of the Spiegelberg Bros.” on the Santa Fe Plaza. Along with the stories of my ancestors, Santa Fe had so much to offer, wilderness, culture and a wonderful art scene.
Jonathan Hertzel lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico USA