18 years of experience in Luxury Art & Design

Jennifer Mahanay is the Creative Director at Rago / Wright. Working with Wright for over eighteen years, she has proudly directed the creative team of graphic designers, photographers and production artists to develop and carry forth the world-renown boutique luxury auction house brands with diverse material & international reach.

Working at Wright since nearly the start of my career, I began as a graphic designer in the small studio that was the growing in-house creative department for the boutique modern art & design auction house. Capitalizing on my dual-degrees in photography & graphic design, I worked closely with the photography team from week one. This remains one of the most enjoyable aspect of my role, now overseeing in-house photography studios in three locations across the country.

Growing into an Art Director role, I grew with the industry as it transformed from a print-based creative communications studio, to a digital powerhouse that now functions more like an e-commerce engine. In 2019 Wright merged with Rago in Lambertville NJ, marking the beginning of an astonishing period of growth. Rago/Wright subsequently grew to acquire LA Modern auctions (LAMA) in Los Angeles, CA, in 2020 and Toomey & Co., in Chicago in 2021.

In 2024, I directed the production of over 25,000 curated lots across 167 auctions, achieving $121 million in sales while also launching the two newest auction brands in the Rago/Wright portfolio: Landry Pop Auctions and Poster Auctions International.

As the Creative Director, I lead the creative vision for all six distinct auction houses, cultivating each brand’s unique identity through visual storytelling. While the material can vary vastly from brand to brand, collection to collection—a commitment to quality of presentation remains the foundation driving the work. With rapid expansion in the last five years & the organization doubling in size, I have led the team not only in the revitalization of visual identity systems for the newest brands, but worked closely with development teams to build tools to enhance internal workflows. Most notably, on-going improvements for Rago/Wright’s custom content management system, a cloud-based image workflow environment, and new tools for the front-end to increase bid activity & user engagement.

Working closely with team members across experience levels & creative disciplines, mentoring team members is a critical part of my role. I believe in leaning into unique talents, and encouraging staff to grow skill sets as brand ambassadors for the team. I believe creative work is better when teammates are collaborating closely and encouraging one another to raise the bar. I believe in rigor & exploration. I have a deep passion for design, typography, photography, and technology. Making beautiful things is a passion—collaborating with other creatives is a joy & a privilege.

When I’m not at work, I like to rest my eyes from the computer, breathe fresh air and play outside. I love camping, hiking, running, and traveling to parks across the country with my husband and two kiddos.

If you’d like to talk more, I’d love to hear from you — please get in touch!