Jonathan Wagner has returned to New Jersey after double majoring at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. He received Bachelor degrees in Painting/Paintmaking and Philosophy. He has managed, while working and studying full time, to launch a career as a professional painter. In a few short years, he independently organized and promoted many solo shows and a series of group showings of his paintings in association with artists of a variety of mediums in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City.
Jonathan has also worked at several galleries in New York City, where he organized events at the gallery, created mailings, and was responsible for cataloging all the artists represented by the galleries. He was an editor at American Ceramics, a magazine devoted to the study and art of Ceramics and Glass. The West Morris, New Jersey YMCA proudly displays a large series of murals they commissioned from him in 2002.
Jonathan focuses his artistic talents on the study of faces, where he finds that people are able to see reflections of themselves in the expressions shown in his art. He searches out the alternate venues such as night clubs, coffee houses, and musical performances to bring his art to an audience that is generally overlooked. By incorporating his work in these venues, he hopes to encourage an appreciation and love of art in people who are rarely exposed to the fine arts.
