TwisteezWire^® ~ a tale of two teachers

We are a family run business. This is our story. sandy@twisteezwire.com Witzend Workshop, LLC 8 Carmel Rd, Bethany, CT 06524 Ph: (203) 393-2397 Fax: (203) 393-1721

It began one day when Harold and Kiki Rabinowitz, founders went out looking for car parts in an auto junk yard.  On the ground piled high was a stack of discarded phone wire that happened to catch their eye, as well as their imagination. Colorful and pliable, they realized it would make a wonderful material for making art. These two young artists, graduates from both Yale and Cooper Union, often kept an eye out for creative and inexpensive art supplies that they could use in children’s art classes. They had five kids of their own at that time and taught classes every weekend in their own home, a large, rambling stone house they built themselves in rural Bethany, Connecticut. The wire they took turned out to be very popular for both children and adults as well. It was just plain fun to play with and create figures, objects and things. The Rabinowitz’ who were looking for a way to expand their income thought they could market the wire as an art material… and thus Twisteez Wire was born. 1960 Twisteez logo Harold and Kiki originally bought wire seconds from industrial suppliers, but as the demand for their wire grew they eventually had Twisteez Wire manufactured to be consistent in color and quality.They began promoting their Twisteez at conventions for art teachers, and vendors who were interested in their wire and included Twisteez wire in their catalogues. Twisteezwire has continued to be a successful art supply in school catalogues and for art suppliers for over 50 years. Harold and Kiki also invented and patented a line of batik and wax melting encaustic tools. See Products. Harold and Kiki named their company Rabinowitz Design Workshop and worked out of their home in in Bethany, CT. Their six children all helped out in the business. Currently Sandy, the eldest, keeps the business running along with the help of her siblings, whose sites are listed below. Harold and Kiki act in the advisory capacity for the business they created. It continues to be a family run business. *Harold and Kiki were also the founders of the Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven, CT. Sandy Rabinowitz, partner Harold and Kiki's children folding Twisteez boxes. (1967) Sandy – equestrian artist, illustrator, partner Witzend Workshop. LLC Michael –musician, composer, jazz bassoonist Abbie – fine artist painter, wire muse, graphic and website designer Rebecca – graphic designer, website designer, actor David – astrophysicist, yale research professor, discovered Sedna Mary – late poet and fine artist painter ©2013 Witzend Workshop, LLC