Raychel Wengenroth

Career History

Beginning her silversmithing career at the age of 15 at Peters Valley, a non-profit craft center in New Jersey, Raychel soon realized that this was not going to be a passing fling. She furthered her working knowledge by apprenticing in New York City with leading contemporary jewelers. Raychel began her education at Queens College, later transferring to SUNY - New Paltz where she earned a BFA in Gold & Silversmithing. While there she was fortunate enough to study under Kurt Matzdorf and Bob Ebendorf, two leaders in the field of silversmithing.

Raychel began S/W Metalsmiths, a wholesale jewelry and giftware business after graduating. The enterprise sold to over 100 accounts in the United States and abroad while enjoying a doubling profit margin for five consecutive years. Originally she began teaching her employees for training purposes, not realizing another career opportunity was developing for her.

Raychel has had an equally successful teaching career at institutions such as: The Woodstock Guild, Mill Street Loft, Dutchess and Westchester Community Colleges in New York; Silvermine School of Art, Brookfield Craft Center, Farmington Valley Arts Center and Wesleyan Potters in Connecticut; Fletcher Farm in Vermont and Peters Valley in New Jersey.

Her award winning work has been exhibited nationally in juried and invitational shows, and auctioned at Christie's in New York City. She has received grants from the Empire State Crafts Alliance in 1995 and New York Foundation for the Arts in 2001. Raychel's work is represented ongoing at Silvermine Galleries, New Canaan, CT and at Zoe and Floyd in Seymour, CT.

1983 - BFA - SUNY@ New Paltz (Gold &Silversmithing)
1978-80 - Queens College, Fine Art Major
1975-80 - Peters Valley (summer) and apprenticeships in NYC

2005    Craft USA, Silvermine Guild, CT
2004    50<>50 Craft Continuum, Brookfield Craft Center, CT
2003    Crafts National, Lancaster Museum of Art Lancaster, PA
2003    Fun and Games, A Playful Look at Fine Craft Artisans Center, VA
2002    Craft USA, Biennial, Silvermine Guild, CT
2002    Northeast Fine Crafts Exhibit, Schenectady Museum, NY
2000    Fine Jewels and Silver Auction, Christies East, NYC
1999    Crafts National 33, Zoller Gallery, PA
1999    The Fork, Knife, Spoon: As Serving Pieces, Yaw Gallery
1997    USA Craft Today, Silvermine Guild, CT
1997    SPIVA National Contemporary Crafts Competitive,
SPIVA Center for the Arts, MO
1996    New York State Contemporary Crafts Exhibit, Albany State Museum, NY
1993    Dinner As Served, Green County Arts Council, NY
1990    Art That Works: Decorative Arts of the 80¹s Crafted in America
1987    Philadelphia Art Show, Nan Miller Gallery, PA
1987    Featured Artist, Del Mano Gallery, CA
1984    Metalwork and Jewelry, Berkeley, CA
1983    Sterling Design Competition, Lever House, NY
1982    Sterling Design Competition, Lever House, NY
1982    Enamels Today, Seattle, WA
1982    Transformations: Rhythms of Change, Barrett House, NY
1982    11th Annual Marietta College Crafts National, Marietta, OH
1982   The Eating Experience - Handcrafted Utensils, Palo Alto, CA

1993    Ball State University, Columbus Museum of Art, Lowe Art Museum
1992    Hunter Museum of Art, Arkansas Art Center, Dayton Art Museum, DeCordova Museum
1991    Dana Museum, Canadian Craft Museum, Philbrook Museum of Art, Minnesota Museum of Art
1990    Huntsville Museum of Art, Mint Museum of Art

2004    Living with Fine Crafts: The Heart of the Home, Brookfield Craft Center, CT
2001    25 Years of Fine Craftsmanship, Silo Gallery, CT
1999    Contemporary Crafts 1999, Albany State Museum, NY
1999    Measure for Measure, Bignell Gallery, CT
1988    Objects, St. Louis, MO
1983    Elements, New York, NY
1983    Contemporary Crafts, Elmira, NY

2005    Regional Hospice Art Auction (Award of Excellance)
2005    Inclusion in Book: "Penland Book of Jewelry" (Lark Books)
2004    Juror, SONO Arts Exhibit, South Norwalk, CT
2003    Saul Bell Design Award Finalist
1997    SPIVA National Contemporary Crafts Competition (Honorable Mention)
1982    Sterling Design Competition (Honorable Mention)

1998-present - Silvermine School of Art, New Canaan, CT
1998-2001 - Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY
1999-2000 - Mill Street Loft (ProjectAble) Poughkeepsie, NY
1991-2000 - Woodstock Guild of Craftsmen, Woodstock, NY

Since 1998 Workshops: Brookfield Craft Center, Brookfield, CT., Farmington Valley Arts Center, Farmington, CT., Silvermine School of Art, New Canaan, CT and Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT., Potters in CT., Peters Valley in NJ., Westchester Community College in NY; Fletcher Farm in VT.