Justin Hess & Maria Im: Violin Maker & Concert Violinist - Epi. 417, Host Dr. Mark Sublette

Sometimes a podcast is just meant to be. I feel that's the case with Justin Hess and Maria Im. You see, I was in Philadelphia at the Barnes Foundation Museum and I happened to run into these individuals. We were looking at some furniture at the same time, and I was saying "Oh, that's a Nakashima or it looks like it's Nakashima."

Maria interjected and said, "Yes, that is a Nakashima! I just lifted it up and it's Mira Nakashima."

I proceeded to tell her that I was going out to New Hope, PA to interview Mira the next day and they both go, "Oh my gosh, that's great!." So we talked for a while in the Barnes and and it turns out they're very both very interesting people with art adjacent vocations.

Justin Hess is a trained violin maker and he only does like three a year and he's got a five year waiting list. Maria Im is a world-class violinist that has played all over the world. She's played at Madison Square Garden and trained at Juilliard. They're both just a remarkable husband and wife combo. Fast forward a little while later and they invite me and my son Charles to come to their studio in Philadelphia and take a look behind the curtain at the process of what it takes to make a violin and it was fascinating.

To me, this chance encounter typifies what I want in my podcast. The spontaneous combustion of the creative juices that come across my path that I am curious about. It was fascinating to hear Justin talk about how he makes these violins and how Maria plays them in an elite capacity. Maria even plays a violin (several, in fact) handmade by her husband for us and It was a  beautiful experience. 

I would recommend not only listening to this, but if you watch it on YouTube, you can actually see the components of the studio of the creativity component that goes together with making a violin and Maria playing the violin.

It was just incredible to meet these humans and to get to know them. I really enjoyed recording this podcast. This is Maria Im and Justin Hess on Art Dealer Diaries episode 417.