AdornAxis is a curatorial partnership between prolific art-jewelers and friends Ayala Naphtali and Debra Adelson
Ayala Naphtali is a jeweler with a studio in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
She began making jewelry as an early teen in NYC. She studied Gold and Silversmithing at FIT and SUNY NewPaltz where she received her BFA. Ayala was awarded as an Honoree in 2021 & 2022 by NYCxDesign. Ayala’s work has been exhibited privately and in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewett and Kunsindustriumuseum in Norway, and the Whitehouse Ornament Collection. Ayala has exhibited in major national craft shows such as the American Craft Council Exposition on Baltimore, SOFA, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, and numerous others annually. Selected publications include the American Craft Magazine, Elle, The Fashions of the Times, The New York Times, Mademoiselle, Women’s Wear Daily, Glamour, New Woman Magazine, and the New York Post. Ayala has been a juror for the American Craft Council Shows.
Ayala was an instructor at the 92Y in NYC from 1987-1998 and has taught numerous workshops.
In 2021 Ayala created a collaborative sound installation piece which was exhibited at Harvestworks Art & Technology at Governors Island Art Exhibition.
From the earliest age, Debra Adelson knew she was destined to be an artist. She found her passion when she was introduced to the metals studio while a student at Tyler School of Art, where she received her BFA in Jewelry Design and Silversmithing. Debra views herself as a sculptor intent on creating pieces that stand the test of time.
Debra’s award-winning work has been exhibited nationally in galleries and museum shops including the National Museum for Women in the Arts, The National Portrait Gallery, and Corning Museum of Glass. Her work has been collected privately and is included in the permanent collection of the Museum of Arts and Design, NYC. Debra has exhibited for over 25 years in major national juried art shows like the Smithsonian Craft Show and the Philadelphia Art Museum Craft Show.
Her work has appeared in numerous publications, and she is the author of the book ‘The Art of Jewelry, Plastic & Resin”, published by Lark Books in 2008.
Most recently, Debra received a 2023 Fellowship from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
