Draft:Donna Distefano



Donna Distefano Thomas is an American jewelry designer and goldsmith of Italian descent who works in New York City where she founded the jewelry firm Donna Distefano Ltd. Donna Distefano is known for hand wrought creations in high karat gold, drawing inspiration from Renaissance art, Italian culture and literature as well as her multiple collaborations in the art and music world. ________________________________________________________________

Early Life and Education
Born in the Bronx, New York City in 1962, Donna Distefano is the daughter of two first generation Italian Americans, Virginia Rose Picarazzi and Joseph Albert Distefano Sr. She pursued her education at The Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned an Associates Degree in Applied Science in 1982. Her academic journey included independent scholarly pursuits focused on Dante Alighieri, Italian Language, Art History, and goldsmithing, with additional study at the University of Urbino, the University of Bridgeport, Hunter College, and Southern Connecticut State University. Donna Distefano holds dual American and Italian citizenship and is fluent in both English and Italian.

Career
Donna Distefano's career spans several decades, including her tenure as a Senior Craftsperson Jeweler at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 1989 to 1994. In 1994, she founded Donna Distefano Ltd, a goldsmithing atelier where she continues to serve as President, Master Goldsmith, and 100% Shareholder. Since its inception the company operates as an atelier, relying solely on private clients and collaborations. For her eponymous collection Distefano takes inspiration from paintings and poetry, mixing references from historical jewelry representations and construction with current jeweler techniques and process. She sets colorful gems into Etruscan and Renaissance style arrangements, frequently accenting the stones' deep colors with diamonds and custom made, in-house alloys made of a variety of golden hues.

Museum Exhibitions
Donna Distefano's jewelry has been featured in museum exhibitions, including: 2013-2021: Out of this World, Jewelry in the Space Age featuring "the Love that moves the sun and the other stars." - a 22 karat gold ring with meteorite and diamonds. The Forbes Galleries, New York City (2013), Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh (2015), Tellus Science Museum, Cartersville, Georgia (2021) 2018: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where her works were displayed in the Special Exhibition Gift Shop, including "Ever More Saints”, in celebration of the Costume Institute’s Heavenly Bodies exhibition.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Frick and other Museum Collaborations

In 1997, Donna Distefano collaborated with the Hillwood Museum in Washington, D.C. on historic jewelry reproductions. In 2009, Donna Distefano was commissioned to create The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards In 2017, Donna Distefano collaborated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Met Store on high karat gold fine jewelry reproductions and original works. In 2024, Donna Distefano collaborated with the Frick Museum in conjunction with the reopening of their historic Fifth Avenue mansion and library.

Rock Group Partnerships
In 2020, Donna Distefano collaborated with the legendary rock group Aerosmith to create a numbered and limited-edition jewelry collection, celebrating the band's 50th anniversary.

In 2023, Donna Distefano collaborated with the rock supergroup The Hollywood Vampires to create a numbered and limited-edition jewelry collection. In 2018 the original “Last Vampire” poison ring was worn by actor and musician Johnny Depp on the cover of the November issue of British GQ.

Conference Presentations
2014: Gemological Institute of America Alumni Association, presentation on "Off the Canvas.” 2016: AATI American Association of Teachers of Italian International Conference, Naples, Italy, presentation of "Dante and Gems." 2018: 53rd International Congress of Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, for the Dante Society of America, presentation of "Dante and Gems." 2019: Gemological Institute of America Alumni Association, presentation of "Dante and Gems."

Awards
Donna Distefano has received recognition as “Best of New York” by New York Magazine (2010), the Jewelers That Care Award (2011), and a Proclamation by the City of Pittsburgh (2015).