Establishing a Jewelry Week in NYC with Bella Neyman and JB Jones, Founders of NYC Jewelry Week
Mar 04, 2019

Episode 17

Bella Neyman is an independent curator and journalist specializing in contemporary jewelry. Since graduating with a Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts and Design History from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum & Parsons The New School for Design in 2008, she has worked for some of New York City’s leading design galleries. Her most ambitious project to date was the launch of New York City Jewelry Week. For three years prior to this, she was the Director of New York’s only contemporary jewelry gallery. In 2014, Bella, along with Ruta Reifen, Bella started Platforma, a contemporary jewelry-focused initiative whose exhibitions have been on view in the U.S. and Europe. Bella’s articles have been published in The New York Times, American Craft and Antique magazine and she is a frequent contributor to Modern and Metalsmith magazines. Bella also serves on the Board of Art Jewelry Forum.

JB Jones, co-founder of NYC Jewelry Week, began her career as a Design Director and Fashion Editor in Los Angeles. In 2008, JB switched gears and launched The Site Unscene, a street art gallery and artists’ platform. She curated the first West Coast exhibition of the NYC based graffiti crew TC-5, which included the work of Doze Green and Lady Pink, and was a leader in helping establish street art as a legitimate force in the LA gallery scene. Upon moving to NYC in 2014, JB returned to fashion in a retail development capacity with a focus on jewelry. She co-curated the first street art x art jewelry exhibition, PLACEMENT, with Bella Neyman. In 2017, the duo launched a digital contemporary jewelry platform of the same name designed to promote the concept of “wearing your art.” Her work has appeared in Harper’s Bazaar, WWD, Juxtapoz, Obey, Work magazine and more.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

    • What inspired the founding of NYC Jewelry Week and its objectives.
    • How Bella and JB brought in different types of jewelry to make the event all-encompassing.
    • Why jewelry education and the jewelry industry are important aspects of NYC Jewelry Week.
    • How the City of New York worked to support NYC Jewelry Week.
    • What plans Bella and JB have for the long-term future of NYC Jewelry Week, and what areas they want to focus on.
    • Why 47th Street in New York City is an important hub for the jewelry industry in the U.S.

Additional resources:

Sharon Berman