“One improves himself by sharing with other cultures,” say Wanga, the Senegalese artist and cobbler who designs and creates By Wanga with fellow artisan Elisabeth Ancely. Their savage art jewels are as unique as they are soulful – each piece is a limited edition made entirely by hand. It is a true collector’s collection, sold in limited editions with very limited distribution. Urban Zen is the only store in New York, and one of only three in the States, that carries By Wanga.

By Wanga’s devotees are loyal and passionate. Just ask Donna. “When I love something, it becomes a part of me. I’ve been wearing these black leather necklaces for the last few years. For me, they are like prayer beads, something I touch and caress throughout the day.  I own four, which I wear in combination because they are incredibly light – completely weightless --and have an extraordinary energy.”

The weightlessness of each piece is surprising given its scale and drama. By Wanga employs natural and “recuperation” materials, like leather, bone, metal and shells. The leather is either mutton or goat and is fashioned in labor-intensive process handed down from African artisan tradition. It is tanned, dyed with vegetable product, washed several times, scratched, sculpted, sewn and then creamed and polished – all by hand. The finished piece feels personal because it is. And therein lies its luxury.

By Wanga is a story of encounters. Elisabeth met Wanga in 2004 when she was an interior decorator working for a hotel in Sénégal. She asked him to make some jewels for her and when she returned to Paris, she met a fashion editor at Elle Magazine who loved her jewels and encouraged her to make more. Elisabeth returned to Senegal and with  Wanga, created the By Wanga Collection. The two have been working together in the traditional way ever since.

By Wanger embodies Urban Zen’s mission of preserving cultures, incorporating the wisdom and artisty of the past in the present and into the future. “My necklaces embody the spirit of Senegalese culture,” says Donna. “They’ve become a signature, something I put on everyday. I’d be lost without them.”Dana’s photographs possess a moody, enigmatic quality, whether a serene moment in nature or a provocative study of objects. “For me, it’s all about the light. I will go back to the same place and wait for that perfect moment of transformation.” She approaches her abstract-inspired painting in much the same way, only the layers will create a relationship based on chance and coincidence. “I want to offer an experience when you look at my work, something transformative.”

Dana’s fascination with nature and all its expressions goes back a long way. She grew up on a farm in Alabama and would spend time alone in the forest or by a nearby river. Even though she’s lived in New York for twenty years, she spends much her time at her hand hewn log cabin in upstate New York. She also plans a yearly visit into a rainforest, another favorite subject. An admirer of Buddhism, Dana donates pieces of her work to Buddhist centers to help create a meditative environment and enhance emotional wellbeing -- much the way her pieces make you feel at Urban Zen.