Joshua Jay, one of magic’s most eclectic and accomplished rising stars, has a purpose: to show people that things aren’t always as they seem. And that’s important, because seeing things differently is where fascination, inspiration and hope come from. Through his performances blending sleight of hand, psychology and wit, through his photography, film and art, through his writing, lecturing and innovation, Joshua Jay challenges you to challenge your perceptions, because the secret is right in front of you.

Joshua Jay has performed and lectured in over 40 countries. He is an international award-winning magician, a critically-acclaimed author, a fine-art photographer and a monthly columnist for the largest independent magazine for magicians.

“This kid is going places.” – Lance Burton, International Star of Magic

He figured it out. His dad showed him a card trick when he was a child, and after hours of experimenting in his room, Joshua figured it out. His dad was a magic enthusiast and knew when to be impressed. His reaction was simple: “This is your calling.”

“I always tell people I didn’t find magic. Magic found me.” — Joshua Jay

His dad was right. Since that day Joshua Jay has made numerous television appearances and has been a headline performer and lecturer in over 40 countries. He routinely performs for distinguished politicians and major celebrities and is a headliner at the prestigious Magic Castle in Hollywood. He is the author of two best-selling books on magic (his first is published in five languages), and has produced a series of top-selling instructional DVDs for magicians. In 1998, he was crowned champion at the World Magic Seminar. Joshua is a monthly columnist for MAGIC, the world’s largest magazine for magicians.

Joshua also acts as magic consultant for several multi-national toy manufacturers (most recently for Marvel Comics) and has helped design many of the magic sets on toy store shelves.

“Joshua Jay is one of America’s finest young magicians.” – Richard Kaufman, Editor of Genii, The Conjurer’s Magazine

“Good magic hides the trick,” he says. “Great magic reveals some sort of truth. It’s a form of self-expression. I want my magic to be meaningful. I want people to find more in it than deception. People should enjoy it, of course, but they should also feel connected to others through it and to reconsider what they think they know and the way they perceive things.”

Joshua does plenty of things that will make you reconsider what you think you know. His main performance style is close-up. Coins, ropes, even a television remote—vanishing, stretching, and defying expectations in countless other ways. But his passion is cards. (“I’m up to two packs a day,” he says.) Not your uncle’s card tricks, mind you. These are head-turning, jaw-dropping pieces of strange that have garnered Joshua international renown as a card magician extraordinaire.

From corporate functions to private parties to your living room, Joshua is performance-driven. He has even produced a sell-out one-man stage show called “At Home on Stage” that brought the audience into his “bedroom” and took them through a day in his magical life.

A lover of film and literature, he has written and starred in an award-winning short film called “The Heckler” that brings a sort of Twilight Zone sensibility to a magician’s work-a-day life. As an accomplished photographer, he turns cheating moves into fine art. His series, “Trick Photography,” has been exhibited all over the United States.

His appreciation for mystery and psychological nuance have taken Joshua on an already long journey in a still-young life, and left countless audiences applauding in his wake …

For a 25-year-old to have all that tucked into his resume, you might figure Joshua to be among the leather-clad breed of street performers who have ruled the airways with rough and radical magic in recent years. But you’d be wrong. He’s a healthy looking guy with a healthy outlook. He’s please-and-thank you—a parent’s dream: polite and respectful, literate and articulate, witty, thoughtful and charming.

“He’s not trying to be this cool mysterious stranger,” says veteran international award-winning magician Gregory Wilson. “I’ve known him since he was a teenager and I’ve performed with him on five continents. I’d like to be able to say I’ve seen him progress, but he’s been good from day one. He’s focused, unflappable and self-effacing, which is a very admirable quality. Right away I knew there was something special about this guy.”

Joshua’s magic is up-close and personal—simple, clear and undeniable. It happens when you’re watching, no matter how close you’re watching. The secret is right in front of you.

And the secret is Joshua.