Vitae
Jonathan was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Wagner College in Staten Island, New York. He moved to Des Moines, Iowa, in 1977 to attend Drake University, graduating in 1979 with a B.F.A. in ceramics and sculpture.
In 1983 Jonathan moved to Missoula, Montana, where he settled in to a career in architecture while continuing his work in ceramics. He was a designer and draftsman for a local architectural firm and operated his own design consultation service before leaving architecture in 1994. Since then, Jonathan has devoted himself to exploring concrete as an artistic medium and developing his own unique application methods and techniques.
Jonathan’s other (sometimes complementary) talents include singing and dancing. He sings bass with the a-cappella quartet Nothing Sacred. He also composes and calls New England style contra-dances and is active in the local ballroom dance community. He serves on the Board of Directors of First Night Missoula and is a Board Member and past President of The Missoula Folklore Society.
Selected Exhibitions:
Bay Ridge Festival of the Arts: Brooklyn, NY. – 1997
University of Montana-University Center: Missoula, MT. – Solo show- 1997
Mammyth Café: Missoula, MT. – Solo show – 1997 and 1998
Art Museum of Missoula: Missoula, MT.-Yard Art, 1998
Bernice’s: Missoula, MT.- Expanse – Solo show – 1999
Birnbaums Broadway Gallery: Missoula, MT.-Big Sky, 1999
Artistic Touch: Whitefish, MT. – Being Born - solo show- 2000
Dana Gallery: Missoula, MT. – Chrysalis-Solo show-2000, Horizontal Projection-Solo show- 2001, Sunrise Overture 2003- Solo show, Jonathan Qualben- Solo show- 2005, Celebration of Missoula Artists-Group show-2009
Art Museum of Missoula-Out of the Bullpen, 2003
Institute of Medicine and Humanities: Missoula, MT.- Art of Healing, 2002
Blue Empress Outdoor Sculpture Show: Missoula, MT. (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
Representatives:
Trios Gallery – Solana Beach, CA.
Emerald City Fine Arts – Seattle, WA.
Jest Gallery – Whitefish and Bigfork, MT.
Dana Gallery – Missoula, MT.
Fine Line Designs Gallery- North Ephraim, WI.
Awards:
Missoula Cultural Council Trust for Artists Grant, 1996
Montana Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Award, 1999